Details of Renault’s Scénic Vision concept car were unveiled to the public on May 19, 2022. The company’s idea to develop a hydrogen-powered passenger car is not unique.
Benjamin Giret Bloomberg | Getty Images
Renault has released details of a concept car with hybrid electricity and hydrogen, with the French carmaker describing hydrogen technology as “one of the options for more comfortable electric vehicles”.
Renault Scenic Vision’s design includes a hydrogen engine, an electric motor, a battery, a fuel cell and a hydrogen tank. The 2.5-kilogram tank is located in the front of the car and, according to Renault, will take about five minutes to fill up.
According to a document released on Thursday outlining the concept, the Scenic Vision’s 40-kilowatt-hour battery is recyclable and will be produced at a facility in France by 2024.
In a statement, Gilles Vidal, Renault’s director of design, said the concept “presupposes the exterior design of the new 100% electric Scénic model for 2024.” The company said the electric-hydrogen propulsion was “part of a longer-term vision after 2030”.
The general idea is for the Scenic Vision’s hydrogen fuel cell to help expand the car’s range during longer journeys. “In 2030 and beyond, once the network of hydrogen stations is large enough, you will be able to drive up to 800 km. [a little over 497 miles] … without stopping to charge the battery, “said Renault.
Described by the International Energy Agency as a “universal energy carrier”, hydrogen has a diverse range of applications and can be used in a wide range of industries.
It can be produced in several ways. One method involves the use of electrolysis with an electric current that separates water into oxygen and hydrogen.
If the electricity used in this process comes from a renewable source, such as wind or solar energy, then some call it green or renewable hydrogen.
Renault’s hybrid is expected to use green hydrogen, although most hydrogen production is currently based on fossil fuels.
Renault’s hydrogen-hydrogen concept illustrates how car companies are looking for ways to develop low- and zero-emission offerings that can compete with the range of petrol and diesel vehicles.
“Several systems in addition to electric motors are being studied today to meet the requirements of long-distance driving,” said Renault. “Hydrogen technology is one way to make electric vehicles more comfortable.”
In the field of hydrogen mobility, the Renault Group has already set up a joint venture with Plug Power called Hyvia. Among other things, it focuses on hydrogen fuel cells in light commercial vehicles and the implementation of hydrogen refueling facilities.
Renault’s idea to develop a passenger vehicle using hydrogen technology is not unique.
Toyota, for example, began working on fuel cell vehicles – where hydrogen from a tank mixes with oxygen to produce electricity – back in 1992. In 2014, the Japanese business launched the Mirai, a hydrogen fuel cell sedan.
Other large companies such as Hyundai and BMW are also considering hydrogen, as well as smaller companies such as the UK-based Riversimple.
While the above companies are looking at the potential of hydrogen, some high-ranking figures in the automotive sector are not so sure. In February 2021, Herbert Diss, CEO of the German Volkswagen Group, weighed in on the topic. “It’s time for politicians to embrace science,” he tweeted.
“Green hydrogen is necessary for steel, chemicals, aviation and should not be found in cars. Too expensive, inefficient, slow and difficult to deploy and transport. After all: no #hydrogen cars are visible. ”
Despite the unveiling of the Scenic Vision concept on Thursday, even Renault CEO Luca de Meo seems cautious when it comes to hydrogen prospects, according to comments released by Autocar.
Elsewhere, in February 2020, the Brussels-based Transport and Environment campaign group highlighted how much competition hydrogen will face in the transport sector.
T&E pointed out that green hydrogen will not only have to “compete with gray and blue hydrogen”, which are produced using fossil fuels. “It will compete with petrol, diesel, fuel oil, kerosene and, of course, electricity,” T&E said.
“Wherever batteries are a practical solution – cars; vans; urban, regional and perhaps long distance trucks; ferries – hydrogen will face a tough fight due to its lower efficiency and, as a result, much higher fuel costs.