Elon Musk’s latest extravagance has not surprised us but has been expected by the entire automotive sector for years. Will we finally have a hydrogen Tesla? The tycoon had not spoken about this possibility until he made a statement that has resounded around the planet: we reveal his plans and whether there will be cars with this fuel.
Elon Musk surprises again: all or nothing with hydrogen, and he’s clear about it with Tesla
Elon Musk has built a reputation as an iconoclast and industry disruptor. The founder and CEO of Tesla has never been afraid to buck conventional wisdom, even regarding his own stated views. Musk’s latest curveball?
An announcement that Tesla may get into hydrogen vehicles, after years of dismissing the hydrogen economy as impractical. Musk’s surprise revelation has sent shockwaves through the alternative fuel vehicle industry. Diehard supporters of battery electric vehicles are reeling at the idea that their hero may adopt the rival hydrogen camp.
At the same time, hydrogen advocates are wondering if this is too good to be true – is Musk really going “all in” on hydrogen like he claims? One thing is certain: Musk has everyone’s attention once again.
Believe it or not, Tesla already tried hydrogen: the proposal that never materialized
Until recently, Elon Musk and Tesla have steered clear of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Musk has been an outspoken critic of hydrogen for years, calling it “extremely silly” and “mind-bogglingly stupid.” He believes hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will never be economically viable compared to battery electric vehicles.
Musk’s main criticisms of hydrogen focus on efficiency and infrastructure. He argues that producing, compressing, transporting, and converting hydrogen back to electricity is inefficient compared to charging a battery.
He also points out that building a nationwide network of hydrogen fuelling stations would be extremely challenging and costly. Instead, Tesla has invested heavily in lithium-ion battery technology and a Supercharger fast-charging network for its electric vehicles.
Elon Musk’s latest Tesla hydrogen claim: car industry on edge
Elon Musk surprised the industry recently when he announced on Twitter that Tesla may switch to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. This statement came as a shock, given that Musk has been an outspoken critic of hydrogen technology in the past.
Specifically, Musk tweeted that it was time for Tesla to start working on hydrogen technology, stating, “The time has come.” While Musk provided no other details on Tesla’s potential hydrogen plans, the tweet was astonishing enough.
Musk has repeatedly derided hydrogen fuel cells for years as inefficient, impractical, and unsuitable for transportation compared to battery electric vehicles.
Musk even went as far as to say publicly that “success is simply not possible” with hydrogen vehicles. So for the longtime hydrogen sceptic to now say it’s time for Tesla to pursue hydrogen represents a dramatic reversal that caught the industry off guard.
Musk did not explain the reasoning behind this sudden change of heart. However, his statement has already fuelled rampant speculation about what prompted this pivot and what exactly Tesla may have in store for hydrogen technology.
As you can see, the future of the hydrogen Tesla seems clearer now, even considering that the tycoon is not only eccentric but also erratic in its plans. In any case, the electric car brand that leads the U.S. market in switching to this fuel will be a definite boost for an industry that is still looking for ways to move forward.