The fact is: Experts believe that the future will be determined by a mix of drive concepts – if only because the development of a charging infrastructure for electric vehicles suitable for mass use, and the power supply to that infrastructure, is hardly feasible on a nationwide basis. Battery-electric vehicles and fuel cell systems will thus complement each other and together pave the way for emission-free mobility. Hydrogen technology will thus advance above all in areas of application that require long distances and high energy requirements, such as freight and passenger transport. In these areas, hydrogen is ideally suited as an energy storage medium, which is extremely important for the mobility sector but also for other applications. So the technology is gaining ground in many vehicle segments – currently mainly in commercial vehicles for road transport, such as trucks, tour coaches and SUVs, and at a later stage in aircraft technology or shipping.
It is becoming apparent that the timeline for widespread adoption of hydrogen vehicles depends on two key factors: First, introduction at fueling stations is critical, which is why Michelin believes commercial vehicles and taxis will be the first segments available. As part of fleets, they always return to the same station and can therefore be efficiently deployed regionally. Secondly, technological progress and upscaling of production is crucial so that an acceptable price-performance ratio can be guaranteed. For this reason, Michelin and Symbio are aiming for a massive ramp-up of mass production: 200,000 units are to be manufactured annually by 2030.