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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Jasper Jolly

Will hydrogen overtake batteries in the race for zero-emission cars?

Hydrogen graphic
Some of the world’s top automotive executives hope hydrogen will dethrone the battery. Composite: Guardian Design/Getty Images/Reuters/Shutterstock

Hydrogen is a beguiling substance: the lightest element. When it reacts with oxygen it produces only water and releases abundant energy. The invisible gas looks like a clean fuel of the future. Some of the world’s top automotive executives are hoping it will dethrone the battery as the technology of choice for zero-emissions driving.

Our EV mythbusters series has looked at concerns ranging from car fires to battery mining, range anxiety to cost concerns and carbon footprints. Many critics of electric vehicles argue that we should not ditch petrol and diesel engines. This article asks: could hydrogen offer a third way and overtake the battery?

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