Europe 1 Studio 08:00, April 26, 2023

INTERVIEW - Hydrogen cars would reduce the carbon footprint of the car fleet. But how long will it be before hydrogen becomes an accessible and widespread solution in France? In the podcast "Tout roule", Pierre de Vilno looked into the question with an expert.

PODCAST

Hydrogen, a solution for the future or a dead end for the automobile? To find out, Pierre de Vilno receives in the podcast "Tout roule" the founder and CEO of Hy24, Pierre-Etienne Franc.

Why does the hydrogen car account for so few sales?" It is a question of point of view because there are countries where we see a little more than France. Especially where there are public policies and infrastructures that are more developed: in Korea, Japan, California, China, you have a deployment of hydrogen electric vehicles. There are not only Mirai, there are also Hyundai but also many buses, trucks. Today, in France, there is still no significant support because until now, the two national champions had not had no offer on the subject. Things have changed in several ways. First, you have the wall of the end of the combustion engine moving at full speed because it is 2035. And you like me, you know well that even if batteries work miracles today, we do not know how to go from Paris to Marseille with a battery-electric vehicle without having to stop at least twice."


Every week, embark with him on an immersive tour to test electric, thermal or hybrid vehicles. Pierre de Vilno then receives an expert to question him on a major question related to new mobilities. This native podcast is a Europe 1 Studio production in partnership with Mobilians.
How does the WTLP standard, which measures the fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and range of electric vehicles, work? In this fifth episode of the podcast "Tout roule" produced by Europe 1 Studio with Mobilians, board the Megane E Tech, a new Renault model with a WLTP range of more than 400kms. Design, price range, ergonomics, Pierre de Vilno sifts through this state-of-the-art sedan. He then receives Elodie Collot, from UTAC (Union technique de l'Automobile et du Cycle) to answer the following question: what is the impact of the WTLP standard on the choice of his vehicle?
Find "Tout roule" on: http://www.europe1.fr/emissions/tout-roule


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How is hydrogen the future of the automobile?" I'm sure that the hybrid electric car is the future of the battery, the future of cars. But we must find another hybridization than diesel, and the only possible hybridization that combines the battery and a clean gas is the hydrogen electric hybrid and hydrogen vehicles. Next year inaugurated a dedicated production line in the North of France. If even Volkswagen now allows itself to say that it must also complete the range with hydrogen solutions, it is because everyone is well aware that we will have no choice."

But it must be very expensive, a hydrogen station?" So it costs more than gasoline yes, but it costs much less than deploying millions of battery charging stations that do not change much. This is the story of the chicken and the egg. And according to the projections of the network that Europe suggests to make, we will have to deploy in the next eight years. Between 1000 and 2000 hydrogen stations at a time are in Europe. This is both a step and a lot. Because 200 in Europe is already better."

Read also: What is "flexfuel" or bioethanol?

How many hydrogen stations are there in France?" Yes, it is low compared to the current mesh of a very proven technology which is gasoline and diesel. But to begin to properly mesh the territory, we will first deploy commercial utilitarian uses that are intensive uses. So today in France, stations that can deliver individual vehicles, so high pressure, there are about ten and mainly in the Paris region. There are a few in the Rhône-Alpes, some also in the north of the France. We are rather in price orders of 10 € per kilo. And with one kilo, I do 100 kilometers. I'm pretty competitive with diesel. In the long term, the challenge on this complete value chain from production to use is to move from grey hydrogen to green, and to arrive below €7, that is to say to divide the price of hydrogen by almost two."

But how long is it going to take?" Not so much, because it takes two things. First you have to make much bigger stations. This is what is planned in the next European deployment plans. These are stations that are three, four, five times bigger than the ones we have today. And then, we will gradually move to the distribution of hydrogen in liquid form to transport it to the stations where it will remain gaseous in uses. I think that the average person will see hydrogen vehicles in a much more accessible way at the end of the decade. On the other hand, users who have commercial vehicles, who have tours to make taxis here and there, it is in the next three years."

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