Featured Mercedes-Benz Ending Fuel Cell Car Development

It makes a lot of sense. I don't think ford can afford to be a partner anymore. Lets face it outside japan and south korea there is no market for fuel cell vehicles, and foreign makers don't do well in either. With gasoline and battery prices low I can't see other countries subsidizing fuel cells enough for them to sell against bevs, phevs, and mainly ice cars.

Even the biggest advocate of fcv - toyota will sell many times more prius primes and rav 4 primes than mirai and other fuel cell vehicles for this cycle and probably the next.

 

Yet, in heavy vehicles....
Volvo, Daimler to found truck fuel cell joint venture - ABC News

 

Fuel cells may be more viable in 20 years, and Daimler is getting cash from volvo to share a much lower R&D budget. Definitely busses and trucks are easier than cars as they require fewer stations just like natural gas trucks.

Of course on their north american site the innovation does not highlight long term r&d for fuel cells but electric school busses and electric medium duty trucks that production starts this year and next respectively.
Daimler Trucks North America | Daimler

 

Maybe they'll buy Nikola and give the current management a 'golden parachute.'

Bob Wilson

 

Wonder if Toyota took notice.
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The harder the challenge, the better for the momentum @ToyotaHQ I&D...
FCV and BEV both are solutions for a non-carbon future...but when?...

 

When fusion power plants make electricity too cheap to meter.

Bob Wilson

 

Why? Mercedes and volvo know a lot more about trucks and mercedes probably has better fuel cell tech than nikola. They would only buy them if they wanted to be in the market fast, which is unlikely.

 

Or - like you mentioned regarding the Polestar .... it's too little - too late, what with the virus shut down. Or - like Mercedes came to realize (even for a company hell bent on primarily selling a high price car) - a fuel cell car is TOO expensive. That says volumes about the practicality - when MB admits its cost is even ridiculous for expensive cars. Then there's the ridiculously expensive infrastructure. And Germany's refueling grid is nothing compared to the USA. oh - i forgot ... Toyota wants tax payers to fund their fuel cell stations nation wide in the US. Gotta love free money.
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