Join daily news updates from CleanTechnica on e mail. Or follow us on Google News!
Will they or received’t they? Rumors of a Porsche hydrogen gas cell automotive have begun swirling across the automotive press, following a brand new scoop from Automobile Buzz. If it does pan out, Porsche’s new hydrogen gas cell automotive will more than likely be unaffordable to all however the privileged few, however that’s okay. In spite of everything, the Tesla Motor Firm began life because the area of interest producer of sporty battery-powered electrical automobiles with a $200,000 value level, proper?
Porsche Is Hydrogen-Curious
CleanTechnica caught a whiff of Porsche’s curiosity in hydrogen-powered mobility again in Might of 2022, once we seen that the corporate was already dipping a toe in the electrofuels field.
The e-fuels group contains green hydrogen gas produced from water, with renewable vitality offering the electrical energy to run the method. It additionally contains artificial hydrocarbon fuels, which may be made with captured carbon in addition to inexperienced hydrogen to finish the sustainability loop.
Fueling an inside combustion engine with hydrogen just isn’t the identical as utilizing hydrogen in a gas cell, but it surely’s getting a bit nearer.
From Hydrogen ICE’s to Gas Cells
Positive sufficient, in August of 2022 Porsche offered the outcomes of a examine indicating the feasibility of deploying hydrogen in a combustion engine.
The examine, performed by the corporate’s Porsche Engineering Group, was aimed toward growing a hydrogen combustion engine that “goals to match the ability and torque of present high-performance gasoline engines,” whereas additionally conserving gas and slicing emissions right down to the extent of ambient air.
That’s a bit extra difficult than it could appear. Hydrogen doesn’t produce greenhouse fuel emissions when burned at excessive warmth, however it may well produce nitrogen oxides.
“When it comes to optimising emissions by the hydrogen engine, the consultants at Porsche Engineering subsequently focused on nitrogen oxides,” Porsche explains. The answer was to develop an “extraordinarily lean” colder combustion system.
On the time, Porsche additionally upped its curiosity in producing artificial hydrocarbon e-fuels with renewable vitality. In December of 2022 the corporate introduced the launch of a brand new wind-powered e-fuel pilot plant in Chile, aimed toward producing a drop-in substitute for gasoline (see heaps extra of CleanTechnica’s Porsche coverage here).
In January of 2023 the plot thickened, when Wards Auto took observe of the corporate’s continued curiosity in hydrogen gas beneath the subheading, “Porsche has developed a hydrogen-powered internal-combustion engine to interchange its gasoline-powered V-8 and an artificial gas inventory that replaces gasoline.”
All collectively this may occasionally appear a bit complicated, however Ward’s reporting means that Porsche might do each. In spite of everything, even when the corporate have been to pivot its factories totally into hydrogen engines in a single day, its current ICE prospects would nonetheless want gasoline for his or her gasmobiles. On the green-o-meter, artificial gasoline from inexperienced hydrogen and captured carbon beats extracting extra oil from the bottom.
Porsche may be eyeing the potential for producing e-gasoline for the final market as effectively, which might depend upon whether or not or not common outdated gasoline is finally banished in favor of extra sustainable variations.
What About That Hydrogen Gas Cell Automobile?
As for the hydrogen gas cell rumor, that’s a complete ‘nother kettle of fish. Hydrogen gas cell vehicles are electrical vehicles, identical to their battery-powered cousins. The distinction is that gas cells generate electrical energy on-the-go by way of a response between hydrogen and ambient air within the presence of a catalyst, whereas batteries obtain their cost from a stationary supply.
Again in April of 2020, Porsche’s head of analysis and improvement, Michael Steiner, threw chilly water on the gas cell thought in an interview with reporter Christiaan Hetzner of Automotive Information Europe.
“How engaging are fuel cell models to Porsche, contemplating that the stacks are lighter than batteries?” Hetzner requested.
“We proceed to look at it, however in the intervening time this know-how just isn’t suited to Porsche,” Steiner answered. “For one the standard output of a stack is about 100 kilowatts, so if you’d like extra energy you continue to want to incorporate a big battery to offer peak output. Meaning you want much more room for his or her set up.”
“Secondly, the system’s general vitality effectivity could be very poor as a result of it takes a variety of electrical energy to separate water into hydrogen, distribute it to gas stations and convert it again to electrical energy,” Steiner added, referring to electrolysis techniques.
Steiner’s issues have been legitimate on the time, however the price of electrolyzers has come down significantly in simply the previous few years since that interview, and so has the price of renewable vitality to offer the electrical energy.
Sure, What About That Hydrogen Gas Cell Automobile?
Porsche’s newer e-fuels enterprise solutions the issues about electrolysis, and on January 11 of 2024 — that’s immediately or yesterday, relying on once you learn this — Sebastian Cenizo of Automobile Buzz received the news on an answer for the issue of needing extra room.
“If a brand new submitting found by CarBuzz on the German Patent and Commerce Mark Workplace is something to go by, Porsche is considering producing hydrogen gas cell automobiles, ” Cenizo reported.
Gas cells are a mature know-how, however making use of them to a car includes overcoming some engineering challenges, similar to making room for the hydrogen gas tanks and lowering the price of uncooked supplies. These, Cenizo noticed, have been the dual focus of the patent submitting.
In case you are stunned by the information, be part of the membership. Cenizo additionally famous that proof of Porsche’s curiosity in a hydrogen gas cell automotive has by no means surfaced on the Automobile Buzz radar earlier than, aside from a single unsubstantiated report again in 2015.
“Principally, whether or not we’re speaking hydrogen combustion or gas cells, Porsche is open to something however is way from committing. It’s way more desirous about hybridization and/or artificial fuels,” Cenzio concluded.
Subsequent Steps For Porsche
If gas cells aren’t the street to Porsche’s electrification goals, it can at all times have batteries.
On November 11, Porsche took observe of its progress on growing a battery-powered model of its Macan SUV, which launched 10 years in the past.
“As the primary Porsche mannequin constructed on the brand new Premium Platform Electrical (PPE), the SUV is a very new improvement,” Porsche enthused. “The take a look at course of to make sure the proper coordination of all parts and techniques is accordingly meticulous.”
“Porsche locations nice significance on real-world testing with camouflaged prototypes. On the similar time, simulations in each the digital world and wind tunnel are more and more exact and play an ever-greater function. That is significantly true in terms of making a brand new Porsche not solely sportier, but additionally extra environment friendly,” they added.
If a Porsche gas cell automotive ever hits the street, count on an analogous consideration to element. Gas cell vehicles have struggled to extend their footprint within the zero emission car market, however indicators of exercise are stirring within the SUV space with BMW and Honda amongst these within the operating.
It’s additionally price noting that Toyota has additionally been noodling round in the hydrogen combustion engine area for prime efficiency racing vehicles, along with holding the torch for street-legal hydrogen gas cell vehicles.
Simply saying…
Observe me @tinamcasey on Bluesky, Threads, Publish, and LinkedIn.
Picture (cropped): Porsche 911 GT3 sports activities automotive courtesy of Porsche.
Have a tip for CleanTechnica? Wish to promote? Wish to counsel a visitor for our CleanTech Discuss podcast? Contact us here.
Our Newest EVObsession Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries
I do not like paywalls. You do not like paywalls. Who likes paywalls? Right here at CleanTechnica, we applied a restricted paywall for some time, but it surely at all times felt unsuitable — and it was at all times robust to determine what we should always put behind there. In principle, your most unique and finest content material goes behind a paywall. However then fewer individuals learn it!! So, we have determined to fully nix paywalls right here at CleanTechnica. However…
Thanks!
CleanTechnica makes use of affiliate hyperlinks. See our coverage here.