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Renault said the car, dubbed the ‘Scenic Vision’, would not be commercially available before 2030-2032. A fully electric version will hit the market in 2024.
A fuel cell vehicle has an electric motor just like an electric vehicle, but the motor is powered by electricity produced through hydrogen, enhancing the battery’s range.
A 16kW fuel cell will extend the car’s range to 800km without recharging, and the battery will be twice as light, resulting in a 75% reduction in carbon footprint compared to a conventional electric model, Renault said.
The Scenic Vision comes as Renault pushes ahead with plans to split its electric vehicle and combustion engine businesses.
A pioneer in electric cars with Japan’s Nissan (OTC:NSANY) and Mitsubishi at the start of the previous decade, Renault has been eclipsed by pure player Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) and the ambitions of Volkswagen (ETR:VOWG_p).
Asian carmakers Toyota and Hyundai already have hydrogen fuel cells cars on the market, while BMW is planning to launch the hydrogen iX5 this year as a small batch series.