Renault is, quite predictably, set to make a fairly big splash at the upcoming Paris Motor show, revealing the retro-futuristic Renault 4 and this - an eco-friendly hydrogen hybrid sent from the future.
The Emblème (remember the accent over the e) differs from other hydrogen-powered vehicles that have come before it in so much as it uses a conventional rechargeable 40 kWh battery for everyday use and a hydrogen fuel cell for longer journeys.
Compared to something like the Toyota Mirai or the Hyundai Nexo, which both use tiny, sub-2 kWh batteries that are continuously charged by a fuel cell, Renault’s Emblème would rely on the larger battery packs for the majority of journeys.
To travel longer distances, the 30kW hydrogen fuel cell kicks in, running on low-carbon hydrogen stored in a 2.8kg onboard tank. According to the French brand, this would allow the car to cover a distance of up to 1,000km (621 miles) as rapidly as a combustion engine vehicle, seeing as the two hydrogen refuelling sessions required would take less than five minutes.
There is no word on top speeds for the handsome shooting brake, nor any other performance metrics for that matter, only that Renault is aiming for an overall weight of 1,750kg, including batteries.
Instead, the French marque is using Emblème as a case study, exploring ways of further decarbonising its fleet as it hopes to achieve net zero carbon by 2040 in Europe and 2050 worldwide... and it's not just through a reduction in tailpipe emissions.
Life-cycle analysis of its own gas-powered Captur model revealed that it emits 49 tonnes of CO2 throughout its entire lifespan. This is factoring in material extraction from the earth, the production process, assembly and final transportation costs.
Its latest all-electric Megane E-Tech managed to slash that CO2 figure in half, to just 24 tonnes of CO2 emitted over an average life-cycle, where the vehicle is driven for 200,000km (around 124,000 miles).
Fast-forward to a time when Emblème is in production and the goal is to reduce CO2 by 90% - that’s just 5 tonnes over its equivalent lifecycle.
Analysis: Hydrogen is back on the menu
Boasting rapid refuel times and a relatively simple filling process, hydrogen was once seen as a potential silver bullet among innovative automakers looking for an alternative to pure battery electric vehicles. After all, the only thing a hydrogen vehicle emits from its tailpipes is water.
However, there are still only 10 hydrogen refuelling stations in the UK, while the Department of Energy claims there are 59 retail hydrogen stations in North America. Bottom line is that’s nowhere near enough to support any form of mass adoption.
Both Toyota and Hyundai have been pushing forwards with hydrogen fuel cell technology, with the South Korean giant particularly focussed on decarbonising commercial trucks with its XCIENT fuel cell heavy goods vehicle, as well as applications for buses.
Similarly, BMW, Honda and Mazda have all either stated their continued commitment to the technology or have actively revealed hydrogen-powered concept cars in recent years.
The technological breakthroughs that these companies have made in recent years could well see a rekindling of love for hydrogen as a fuel source by the world’s biggest automakers.
If the sticky issue of a reliable network can be navigated, it effectively offers all of the benefits of an electric vehicle, without the range anxiety and lengthy charge times.
However, there is still much debate about how clean hydrogen actually is, seeing as it has to be manufactured. Unless it comes from comes from wind, solar or any other carbon neutral sources, that process requires energy, often from natural gas.
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