No Hydrogen-Powered VW Passenger Cars This Decade, VW Boss Says.

The impending automobile electrification has forced many automakers to immediately slam the brakes on the development and production of pure-combustion vehicles, with many of them now vowing to be full-electric marques in near future. While many automakers are now scrambling to solely adopt electromobility, some of them like Toyota, Honda, and BMW continued to invest in other carbon neutral alternatives such as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEV).

Volkswagen, however, are doubtful of the current potential of hydrogen vehicles, as the marque’s CEO Thomas Schafer has recently ruled out the rumour of a hydrogen-powered Volkswagen passenger car launching soon. Speaking to AutoBild Spanish at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the German exec said that hydrogen is not for Volkswagen, as there are some major disadvantages compared to all-electric battery EVs (BEVs).

“It's not competitive, especially not for passenger cars, the tanks take up space in the cabin. Maybe for commercial vehicles, but not in the passenger car. So, I don't see this happening in this decade. Not at Volkswagen,” Schafer commented.

As for now, Volkswagen Passenger Cars, as well as other marques under the stewardship of Volkswagen Group, have stated their commitments in adopting electromobility in near future, with Audi vowing to stop producing and delivering ICE-powered models as early as 2033 – less than a decade from now.

The group has also cemented its EV commitment by launching a brand-new MEB+ EV platform that will be utilised by all brands under its wings. The improved EV platform is said to provide up to 700 KM of travel range and can accommodate a much broader spectrum of vehicle body types due to its modularity.

For comparison, fellow German brand BMW has got its hands on both ends, as the Bavarian marque recently started the production of hydrogen-powered BMW iX5 FCEV, while at the same time expanding its EV current line-up.

Interestingly, another VW Group-affiliated marque, Porsche, has started to develop and produce yet another carbon-neutral alternatives, in the form of synthetic eFuel. Aside from focusing on launching new EV models, the Stuttgart-based performance marque refused to see the ICE-powered vehicles just die-off by developing and producing synthetic eFuels.

On the eastern front, Japanese marques like Toyota and Honda are extensively developing hydrogen-powered models, with the former being probably the most proactive marque in the hydrogen game. Aside from retrofitting its iconic AE86 Sprinter Trueno with an FCEV powertrain derived from the Toyota Mirai FCEV, Toyota also entered its hydrogen-powered GR Corolla H2 Concept in an endurance race in Thailand, while developing an FCEV Hilux pick-up truck in the UK – all to showcase the versatility of hydrogen fuel cell powertrains, while exploring its true potential and ceiling.

However, Toyota has not entirely abandoned the BEV, as the marque recently launched the BZ4X EV crossover in key ASEAN markets like Thailand and Indonesia, with Malaysia poised to follow suit later this year.

Honda, on the other hand, have recently started developing and producing FCEV powertrains, set to be fitted in the CR-V. The marque said that the hydrogen-powered CR-V that is based on the sixth-gen model is poised to be launched as early as 2024 in the North American market.

That being said, what are your thoughts on the potential of other carbon-neutral alternatives like hydrogen fuel cells or synthetic fuels? Do you see them as viable alternatives against the likes of BEVs, or are they just another gimmick by automakers to evade the impending electromobility? As always, leave your thoughts in the comments down below…