Toyota, Honda, Nissan and other Japanese automakers are serious about rolling out battery electric vehicles to catch up with the world’s frontrunners like Tesla and BYD

“We love battery EVs.”

Takero Kato, the executive in charge of electric vehicles at Toyota, said that not once, but twice, to emphasize what he considers the message at this year’s Tokyo auto show.

It’s a message ringing clear at the Tokyo Mobility Show, which will run through Nov. 5 at Tokyo Big Sight hall and where battery-powered electric vehicles are the star at practically every booth.

  • Hypx
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    -11 year ago

    Hydrogen works basically the same as natural gas. The problems of handling it are readily solvable.

    • @MechanicalJester@lemm.ee
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      31 year ago

      This is hilarious.

      It’s the smallest gas molecule and will pass straight through the walls of containers meant to contain LNG.

      The amount of compression required to yield liquid Hydrogen is vastly different.

      Nothing at all is the same.

      Propane? Sure. Woodgas? Yes. Hydrogen? Totally different set of physical challenges that are very expensive to work around.

      • Hypx
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        -11 year ago

        A hydrogen molecule is larger than helium, mainly since helium is a noble gas and hydrogen is diatomic.

        A lot of the criticism of hydrogen is just pseudo-scientific BS, mostly coming from BEV fans. It’s basically a form of Gish Gallop. People need to realize that hydrogen is a totally ordinary gas with solvable problems.

        • @MechanicalJester@lemm.ee
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          21 year ago

          No, the energy required to compress methane is far, far lower.

          LNG is shipped at 246psi at the high end. Hydrogen at around 10,000 psi.

          I’m eager for you to set me straight with facts.

          Roughly it’s 9% of energy content to compress Hydrogen. And 2.5% to compress methane.

          I really wish this was as solved as you seem to think.

          Energy lost in production of the hydrogen is currently extremely high. They cheat with methane just getting it out of the ground or, rarely, from biological decomposition capture.

          Then you have significantly different physical specifications for the tanks. And the compression. And the storage. And the transfer.

          If the production was free, the rest is pricey. Some day it may all be solved, but it simply hasn’t been.

          Come at me with facts. I will direct you to the energy department.

          Currently 95% of hydrogen production is from natural gas.

          • Hypx
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            -11 year ago

            You’re comparing liquid methane with compressed hydrogen. Not the same thing.

            Like I just said, you’re using Gish Gallop. It’s just a pile of BS or half-truths. It’s not really an argument.

            In reality, the problem of dealing with hydrogen is basically solved. It is similar to where solar power was a decade ago. The goal right now is to scale it all up. There are no other real issues left.

            • @forporn@lemmy.world
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              21 year ago

              It’s basically solved. Is argument taken right out of the Musk play book.

              This guy’s just trolling and y’all should stop feeding.

              • Hypx
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                11 year ago

                Hydrogen cars already exist. It’s pretty obvious that these problems are solved. Guys like you are basically denying reality.