Volkswagen and the German company Kraftwerk Tubes have patented a new hydrogen fuel cell that provides a range of up to 2,000 kilometers and optimizes costs.
In recent times, it seems that a paradigm shift is taking place in the automotive industry, in relation to hydrogen. Now, more and more manufacturers are showing their interest in this element. An example is this new Volkswagen hydrogen car that can reach 2,000 kilometers of autonomy.
We say paradigm shift, because, until very recently, it seemed that the electric car had completely won the battle against hydrogen. However, more and more brands are jumping on the bandwagon of this element that is so abundant on the planet, although not without difficulties.
A year ago, Volkswagen itself, through its top leader, Herbert Diess, was suspicious about the potential of hydrogen as a power source for electric cars, stating that “it is not the solution to the climate problem.” He even crossed out the debate on hydrogen as “false” and “waste of time”, while asking, please, to “listen to science”.
However, the German company has taken a swerve in this direction and is currently working on a hydrogen fuel cell car project. Which shows that he wants to get on the train of a technology that can be key in the future to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
This is the new Volkswagen hydrogen car that can reach 2,000 km of autonomy
Together with the German company Kraftwerk Tubes, Volkswagen has applied for a patent for a hydrogen car that works through a fuel cell, according to the newspaper El Confidencial.
Unlike the batteries of electric cars, which work as accumulators of electricity that is released as needed, hydrogen fuel cells generate their own electricity.
To do this, they need a tank where hydrogen is stored in the form of gas and at high pressure and a fuel cell that transforms said element into electricity.
Just like batteries, fuel cells also have an anode and a cathode, that is, a positive and negative pole. Hydrogen enters through the anode and passes through an electrolyte membrane which splits the hydrogen into a proton and an electron.
An electrolyte then causes them to take different paths to the cathode. The electrons go through an external circuit, creating a flow of electricity which is what allows the motor to work. For their part, the protons pass through the electrolyte towards the cathode, where they join with oxygen and with the electron, producing water and heat.
A cheaper and more efficient solution
But Volkswagen and Kraftwerk have introduced an important novelty that makes their fuel cell different: instead of a plastic membrane, as usual, they use a ceramic one.
This is a big advantage over other polymer fuel cells, as Kraftwerk CEO Sascha Kühn explains in an interview in the German edition of Business Insider, because “it can be produced much cheaper and doesn’t require any kind of platinum.
According to Kühn, this technology is similar to solid-state batteries, with the difference that it uses a compact material to store energy and in fuel cells it is hydrogen in gaseous form that stores energy.
Another advantage of this technology is that, by using a ceramic membrane, it does not need to be moistened and therefore does not freeze in winter or dry out in summer. In addition, the heat generated by the battery can be used to replace the vehicle’s heating and air conditioning, which would result in greater energy savings.
Up to 2,000 kilometers of autonomy
Kraftwerk Tubes doesn’t just work with Volkswagen. In reality, it does not work exclusively with any brand and its sole objective is to have this new technology ready in 2026 so that it can be used in a series vehicle.
According to Kühn, this novel hydrogen fuel cell is a much more interesting alternative to lithium batteries and solid-state batteries, as well as a solution for those who cannot install a charging point at home and do not want to lose time with long recharges.
This fuel cell provides a range of up to 2,000 kilometers on a single tank, according to the director of Kraftwerk.
