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Japan is looking to draw a line in the sand in China’s burgeoning automotive market by unveiling a fleet of hydrogen vehicles. This one has 6000 cars, led by Nissan’s partner with Dongfeng, and this fleet is meant to compete with Chinese EV titan BYD.
With the world inclined towards green energy, hydrogen is emerging as one of the potential options, and with Japan’s focus on FCEVs, this race has moved to a new level.
Understanding the rise of hydrogen-powered vehicles and their advantages
Hydrogen vehicles have come to the market, and China is among the countries embracing this green technology. Japan, Nissan, and Dongfeng, China’s partner, are launching a fleet of hydrogen-powered Venucia models. These cars will be on the roads of Guangzhou for a 36-month trial to demonstrate Japan’s confidence in hydrogen as the future of green vehicles.
Unlike conventional battery electric vehicles, these hydrogen automobiles apply fuel cells, boasting a driving range of 500 kilometers and refueling times, which would be a competitive advantage against battery-powered EVs.
Although EVs are currently leading the global market, hydrogen-fueled cars have unique features that make them attractive in the Chinese context. Regarding refueling, proponents of hydrogen vehicles have always argued that it takes only a few minutes to refuel a car compared to hours for an electric vehicle.
Furthermore, FCEVs also demonstrate efficiency in the worst weather conditions, such as the cold climate evident in northern China. This is a plus over electric vehicles, often a problem in freezing conditions.
Japan’s calculated strategy to outpace BYD with hydrogen technology
One of the most well-known Chinese car manufacturers is BYD, which focuses on electric vehicles and has created quite a good image of an inexpensive and efficient car manufacturer. However, Japan’s decision to employ hydrogen-powered cars is a well-calculated effort to diversify the competition.
With FCEVs, Nissan aims at a category that BYD has not adequately explored as a company. Hydrogen technology may be an option for consumers who would rather accept quicker refueling times and greater ranges of FCEVs.
Furthermore, as the Chinese government has put forward the goals for the development of hydrogen cars, expecting that there will be 10,000 FCEVs in Guangdong province by 2025, deploying 6,000 hydrogen cars in Japan is quite timely to reap these conditions.
Overcoming significant challenges to make hydrogen vehicles popular
The current situation of hydrogen technology is still not devoid of challenges that Japan and Nissan face. The major challenge is the high cost of manufacturing and deploying hydrogen-powered vehicles. The Venucia hydrogen-powered car will be out of the reach of most Chinese car buyers as it will be sold for nearly $138,000.
Another concern is the lack of support—the current number of hydrogen refueling stations is growing in China, but it does not have such a developed network of charging stations for EVs as BYD has.
To challenge the Chinese rivals, Japan must also reduce the cost of its hydrogen cars and promote establishing a more extensive hydrogen ecosystem in China. The Japanese and Chinese governments are working together on projects that could lower the cost of hydrogen production. If this is achieved, hydrogen cars can become popular with the public.
A future fueled by hydrogen: Japan’s ambitious plans for the automotive industry
The use of hydrogen-powered cars in China is a strategy adopted by Japan and may change the future of the automobile industry. The current market is mainly composed of electric vehicles.
Still, hydrogen fuel cells have distinct advantages, like quicker refueling times, better performance in a cold climate, and higher range so that they may have the upper hand to rival electric titans like BYD. Should hydrogen refueling stations grow and costs continue to reduce, hydrogen-powered vehicles may become more common in China.
Nissan’s plan to sell 6,000 FCEVs may be a starting point for the hydrogen car future as China aims to expand its FCEV fleet and build 200 hydrogen refueling stations by 2025.
Japan’s emphasis on developing hydrogen technology and its capability to satisfy the increasing demand for green power in China may open new opportunities for cooperation between the two countries to create environmentally friendly transportation systems.
Therefore, the recent use of 6,000 hydrogen cars by Japanese companies in China is a new dawn in the automobile industry. Although BYD has become the pioneer in electric automobiles, Japan’s focus on the hydrogen-powered approach is an exciting twist in the fight for cleaner transportation. This venture could herald the long-awaited shift to hydrogen as the future fuel if successful.
READ the latest news shaping the hydrogen market at Hydrogen Central
Japan deploys its hydrogen fleet in China: 6000 cars to beat BYD this way, source
