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Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been vocal about his skepticism towards hydrogen as a tool for energy storage. During an interview at the Financial Times Future of the Car summit in May 2022, Musk described hydrogen as “the most dumb thing I could possibly imagine for energy storage”.
He has also tweeted in the past that “fuel cells = fool sells” and “hydrogen fool cells make no sense”.
He emphasized that hydrogen is a bad choice for energy storage because it does not naturally occur on Earth, so it either has to be split from water with electrolysis or cracked from hydrocarbons. Musk’s comments suggest that Tesla is not interested in using hydrogen fuel cell technology in its vehicles.
Despite Musk’s opinion, other influential voices are more optimistic about hydrogen’s role in the energy transition. The International Energy Agency has described hydrogen as a “versatile energy carrier” that has a diverse range of applications and can be deployed in sectors such as industry and transport. The IEA also said that hydrogen was “one of the leading options for storing energy from renewables and looks promising to be a lowest-cost option for storing electricity over days, weeks or even months”.
There are conflicting reports about whether Tesla is launching a hydrogen car.
According to a post on Tesla Motors Club, a chiropractor claimed that Elon Musk said Tesla will be adopting hydrogen-powered technology into its lineup, but the post’s author was skeptical and could not find any credible sources to confirm the claim.
On the other hand, EV-Riders reported that a new Tesla hydrogen car has been confirmed for 2023, citing the rise in popularity of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles as a threat to Tesla’s sales and profits if they don’t adjust to the trend.
The YouTube video below by Top Electric also claims that a hydrogen Tesla has been confirmed for 2023, citing Elon Musk’s announcement that Tesla is going to use hydrogen fuel cells.
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Another YouTube video below by TheRichest claims that Elon Musk and Tesla revealed a new hydrogen fuel cell engine for electric cars, which will be the most powerful car engine in the world.
It is unclear whether Tesla is actually launching a hydrogen car, as there are no official statements from the company or Elon Musk confirming the claim. However, the reports suggest that Tesla may be considering hydrogen fuel cell technology as a way to compete with other car manufacturers who are developing hydrogen cars.
It is worth noting that Tesla has been an EV-exclusive brand since its inception, and the company has invested heavily in battery technology and charging infrastructure. It remains to be seen whether Tesla will actually launch a hydrogen car and how it will fit into the company’s overall strategy.
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