THE boss of a major car firm has revealed a strategy to “save Europe’s motor industry” with two alternatives to EVs.
Renault supremo Luca De Meo has backed hydrogen as the way forward for car manufacturers to meet targets on lower emissions.
Mr De Meo, in an open ‘letter to voters’, argued that battery powered engines were not the only way forward for the industry.
He urged the European Parliament to “set goals” rather than “dictating technological choices to industry.”
He said: “Hydrogen is particularly well suited to HGVs and buses and, in general, all vehicles covering very long distances.
“For an equivalent level of performance, the battery required for hydrogen is smaller and therefore lighter.
“Renault’s new electric Master is one example: to achieve a real range of 500 kilometres, a dual battery-hydrogen fuel cell system (Hyvia type) would be half the weight (775 kg) of a conventional battery (1,427 kg).”
Mr De Meo argued that Europe should aspire toward a mix of favoured transport fuels rather than try and compete with
China who dominated the EV market.
He added: “The e-fuels solution, for example, is highly promising and should be further explored.
“Our proposal is that we should measure the impact of a car over its entire life cycle, from assembly to end-of-life and recycling, rather than focusing solely on energy consumption during use.”
The motor boss also urged politicians to involve Europe’s 200 largest cities in the in the strategy to decarbonise the auto industry.
He added: “One approach would be to allow free access only to small
electric or hydrogen-powered cars and vans, or cars with the most recent type approvals
“If all towns and cities adopt the same measures at the same time, this would automatically lead to a virtuous effect of
scale for the industry, which would gain a bigger market.”
Mr De Meo argued that Europe should aspire toward a mix of favoured transport fuels rather than try and compete with
China who dominated the EV market.
He said: “One approach would be to allow free access only to small
electric or hydrogen-powered cars and vans, or cars with the most recent type approvals.
“If all towns and cities adopt the same measures at the same time, this would automatically lead to a virtuous effect of scale for the industry, which would gain a bigger market.”