German manufacturers paid enough attention to the development of cars on hydrogen fuel cells: Toyota collaborated with BMW , and Daimler proposed to create a unique rechargeable hybrid that uses only electric traction: conventional batteries had to coexist with hydrogen fuel cells. The resource of the latter was to be involved in long distances, and for short trips it was intended to use ordinary batteries, whose charge would be replenished from the power grid.
Now the publication Smart2zero referring to the statements of the head of Daimler Dieter Zetsche ) reports that the German automaker is no longer going to pay much attention to the development of vehicles on hydrogen fuel cells, the priority will be given to the creation of electric vehicles, charged from the network. Previously, hydrogen fuel cells attracted Daimler because of the opportunity to overcome with their help more distance and quickly replenish the power reserve. Now, battery electric vehicles are gradually getting rid of their main shortcomings, steadily becoming cheaper, and the production of hydrogen on an industrial scale remains a very expensive pleasure.
However, Daimler still intends to release a limited edition of Mercedes-Benz GLC crossovers on hydrogen fuel cells by the end of this year. It should be borne in mind that they will be operated by corporate customers, and will not enter the retail market. For many companies, buying such a transport is an image step. According to Dieter Zetsche, hydrogen fuel cells remain an "interesting technological solution," but they can be commercially successful only when a way to extract hydrogen with a minimal cost appears.