Tesla has powered forward to become the most valuable auto manufacturer in the world. A host of well-financed start-ups from Polestar to Lucid are jostling to chip away at its position. And the giants of the industry from Ford to Mercedes to General Motors are pouring billions of dollars into developing their own ranges. The electric, battery driven car is widely seen as the vehicle of the future. But hold on. Renault, with some back-seat driving from President Macron, is making a big bet on an alternative technology. The company has just announced ambitious plans for a hydrogen powered vehicle, not long after France unveiled a massive programme of investment in the fuel. And yet, that is already looking like a terrible mistake. Hydrogen is an unproven technology. The infrastructure for fuelling vehicles is woefully inadequate and unlikely to get any better. And unless hydrogen hits a critical mass there will be very little incentive for anyone else to come into the market. Renault was carving out a potentially successful niche in electric vehicles, especially with the big-selling and relatively cheap Zoe. It looks like blowing it on a high risk wager that is doomed to fail.
Telegraph 20th May 2022 read more »