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Toyota & Airbus Push Hydrogen Fuel Cell Dreams - CleanTechnica

Toyota & Airbus Push Hydrogen Fuel Cell Dreams - CleanTechnica
Source: cleantechnica
Author: @cleantechnica
Published: 6/22/2025

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The article from CleanTechnica critically examines the current state and challenges of hydrogen fuel cell technology in transportation, highlighting the gap between its appealing theoretical benefits and practical realities. It emphasizes two main issues: first, hydrogen is not inherently zero-emission unless produced via renewable energy sources like electrolysis powered by green electricity; otherwise, its production from fossil fuels generates significant carbon dioxide. Second, the cost of producing green hydrogen remains prohibitively high, making widespread commercial adoption difficult. Advocates for hydrogen often overlook these barriers, engaging in what the article terms "magic realism"—a hopeful but unrealistic belief in hydrogen’s near-term viability as a clean fuel. Despite these challenges, Toyota Motor Europe, in partnership with VDL Group, has introduced four heavy-duty fuel cell trucks operating between freight terminals in Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. These 40-ton trucks reportedly match diesel trucks in performance, offering up to 400 km range per refueling and zero tailpipe emissions, emitting only water vapor.

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hydrogen-fuel-cellsToyotaclean-energyzero-emissionsgreen-hydrogenfuel-cell-truckssustainable-transportation