While brands such as Toyota, Hyundai and BMW clearly see a future in hydrogen cars, Audi is clearly different. The CEO of the brand, Markus Duesmann, makes no bones about it.
Toyota is preparing the second generation of the Mirai, Hyundai has the Nexo and comes with a truck with fuel cell and BMW is still looking forward to it. Not the least names that are committed to a future in which hydrogen instead of a plug provides the power supply for EVs. However, they do it ‘next to’ and do not switch completely to cars with fuel cells. However, Audi probably doesn’t want to risk it at all. This is evident from statements by CEO Markus Duesmann. “I do not think about the use of hydrogen for cars,” he says firmly in conversation with Die Zeit.
Duesmann is of the opinion that it is not interesting because of its production. If a large-scale switch to hydrogen is made, this will again cause problems for emissions, Duesmann thinks: “We will not be able to produce enough hydrogen in a CO2-neutral way for this in the coming decades.” Although many Dutch people like hydrogen, Duesmann is certainly not alone in his criticism. Nissan COO Ashwani Gupta recently explained to Techzle that hydrogen is indeed ‘less green’ than people might think because of its production. “Well-to-wheel CO2 emissions are much higher from a fuel cell vehicle than from a battery-electric car,” said Gupta. Mercedes-Benz and PSA also see hydrogen only as a supplement for specific vehicles or purposes, but not as a large-scale alternative.