WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT HYDROGEN

We take a deep dive into Toyota's 'multi-path' strategy, which focuses on making hydrogen fuel-cell technology a viable alternative to battery EVs

- Tom Jervis

RENEWABLE electricity has been touted as the fuel choice of the future for a while.

Although battery electric vehicles (BEVS) currently are expensive to buy, the reduced running costs and zero tailpipe emissions offered by electric powertrains make them an ideal choice as a sustainable replacement for ICE power.

But are BEVs the only solution to the complex issue of decarbonization and sustainability? Electric powertrains certainly do have their drawbacks, resulting in several other fuel types being explored as viable alternatives to petrol and diesel power. These include liquid nitrogen and synthetic eFuels, but few are as promising as hydrogen specifically hydrogen fuel-cell tech.

Japanese brand Toyota is perhaps one of the biggest supporters of what it dubs a 'multi-path strategy' - one that embraces the likes of hybrid and hydrogen-powered cars, alongside the pure-electric route that most of the industry is focusing on at the moment.

You might wonder then whether Toyota is spreading its R&D expertise too thin. Unlike most manufacturers that have rapidly electrified their line-ups, Toyota still only sells one EV in the UK, the bZ4X SUV, which is outclassed by many rivals in terms of overall range and practicality.

The car maker also offers the sleek-looking Mirai saloon. Plush and comfortable to the point it almost deserves a Lexus badge on the bonnet, the Mirai uses hydrogen fuel-cell technology.

The model was on sale for a while in the UK, but it's now only available on a 'special order' basis, due to limited demand.