GAC Motor, a Chinese automaker, claims to have successfully tested a hydrogen combustion engine, introducing a different approach to hydrogen-powered vehicles. Instead of using fuel cells to generate electricity, GAC designed an internal combustion engine to burn hydrogen instead of gasoline or diesel. The resulting engine boasts a relatively high thermal efficiency of 44%, according to the company’s press release.
While GAC has expressed intentions to continue refining the hydrogen combustion engine and establish a hydrogen supply chain based on renewable energy sources, there is no clear indication of any production plans. The company had previously aimed to enter the U.S. market, showcasing an electric car and a plug-in hybrid crossover at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show. However, those plans have been indefinitely postponed.
In its domestic market, GAC has since partnered with Nio for battery electric vehicles, a seemingly more practical approach than pursuing a hydrogen combustion engine. Hydrogen internal combustion engines present challenges such as hydrogen storage, emissions concerns, and infrastructure issues, similar to those faced by fuel cell vehicles.
While GAC’s initiative is unique, it’s worth noting that other automakers, like BMW with the Hydrogen 7 and Toyota with a hydrogen-powered race car, have explored hydrogen combustion in the past. The viability of this approach in the broader automotive market remains uncertain, given the current momentum behind fuel cells and battery electric vehicles.
