Hyundai is going all in on hydrogen, and relying on food waste to make that happen
Kia-owner Hyundai certainly isn’t in a big rush to go carbon neutral. It has set its target as the far-away date of 2050. But now it says it will rely heavily on hydrogen fuel cells generated from plastic, food, and organic waste to power a whole new generation of EVs, from passenger cars to heavy-duty trucks. Problem is, there is nowhere to charge them.
The South Korean automaker is among a small group of companies embracing hydrogen fuel cell technology, with GM, Toyota, and Honda among them. At CES in Las Vegas, the company announced that hydrogen fuel will now play a “crucial role in Hyundai’s sustainability roadmap as it is a clean energy source.”
“Clean hydrogen should be for everyone, powering everything, and available everywhere,” Jay Chang, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company, said in a statement. It plans to use hydrogen in any number of vehicles, from passenger cars to buses and trucks, as well as trams, boats, power generators, advanced air mobility, and special equipment.
Hyundai has already been mass-producing hydrogen fuel cell EVs for a while with its Nexo line. Currently the 2024 Hyundai Nexo compact crossover and the Toyota Mirai sedan are the only two hydrogen fuel cell (FCEV) EVs available to buy in the US, and that’s only in California.
Rather than plugging in the vehicle as you would for a battery-electric car, hydrogen fuel cells rely on compressed hydrogen. To recharge, you can top off your vehicle via a fuel cell stack in about five minutes. For the Nexo, a recharge can take you 380 miles, with its only emissions being water vapor.
Problem is, there is almost no hydrogen infrastructure and very few hydrogen recharging stations, and only a smattering in North America. China has the largest network of recharging stations in the world, but in California, you’ll find around 63 recharging stations, mostly around Los Angeles and San Francisco. In the East Coast, there are maybe a handful of stations. Storing hydrogen is a challenge too in that it requires high pressures, low temperatures, or other chemical process to keep it compact.
Hyundai has also announced that it is developing “megawatt-scale polymer electrolyte membrane electrolyzer manufacturing capabilities for green hydrogen production, which is expected to commercialize within the next few years.” The company plans to make this transition via its hydrogen fuel cell system brand, HTWO, launched in 2020.
To produce hydrogen, the company will focus on Waste-to-Hydrogen methods, which involves fermenting organic waste, such as food and livestock manure, to produce biogas. The biogas is then treated to capture CO2 and produce hydrogen. Another method, Plastic-to-Hydrogen, will use waste plastic that is recyclable – first it is melted, the turned into gas, then transformed into hydrogen after stripping away unessential elements.
Hyundai also announced some new technologies at CES, including its “Software-defined Everything,” which “aims to transform all moving devices, fleets and ecosystems into valuable assets through advanced software and AI.” Hyundai, like a lot of other automakers, is developing software-defined vehicles, à la Tesla, which can then be updated via over-the-air updates. The company said it is shifting “everything into a software-defined approach, from vehicle development to building the entire mobility ecosystem.” What this means seems to be that Hyundai drivers can expect to see some new infotainment upgrades, a new app library, and the development of SDKs for developers to create some “killer apps.” AI, of course, will be a part of the package, with its in-car voice assistance updated to enable more seamless communication between the vehicle and the driver. Hyundai’s $100 million stake in AI chip manufacturer Tenstorrent should help make that happen.
If you’re an electric vehicle owner, charge up your car at home with rooftop solar panels. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing on solar, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
Charge your electric vehicle at home using rooftop solar panels. Find a reliable and competitively priced solar installer near you on EnergySage, for free. They have pre-vetted installers competing for your business, ensuring high-quality solutions and 20-30% savings. It’s free, with no sales calls until you choose an installer. Compare personalized solar quotes online and receive guidance from unbiased Energy Advisers. Get started here.–ad*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Spring is here, and that means it’s pool season prep time! There’s no better way to kickstart your spring cleaning than with the Beatbot AquaSense 2 Series—the ultimate robotic cleaner designed to effortlessly prepare your pool for sunny days ahead.
Beatbot is inviting pool owners everywhere to “Spring Forward, Clean to Perfection” with up to 20% off the AquaSense 2 Series – Ultra, Pro, and Standard. The limited-time offer is available from March 17 through March 31 on Beatbot’s official website and Amazon store. Read on to find out how Beatbot can keep your pool in prime condition, and don’t miss out on this fantastic discount.
Beatbot AquaSense 2 Ultra
Headlining Beatbot AquaSense 2 Series is the premium AquaSense 2 Ultra, a pool-cleaning powerhouse that sets a new standard in smart cleaning technology. It’s packed with cutting-edge features designed to make your pool maintenance not only easier but smarter and more thorough than ever before.
At the heart of the AquaSense 2 Ultra is the revolutionary HybridSense AI Pool Mapping technology. This isn’t your average robotic cleaner – it uses an AI camera alongside ultrasonic and infrared sensors to create a precise map of your pool. No matter your pool’s shape or layout, the Ultra intelligently plots the most efficient cleaning path, ensuring every inch – from floor to walls, waterline, and even the water’s surface – is spotless. Plus, with the Beatbot app, you can easily track cleaning progress and view detailed cleaning maps in real time.
Say goodbye to juggling multiple pool-cleaning devices—the AquaSense 2 Ultra delivers unmatched convenience with its unique 5-in-1 cleaning system. This robotic marvel tackles everything: water surface, waterline, floor, walls, and even a ClearWater Clarification System. Powered by an industry-first 11-motor submarine propulsion system, it transitions effortlessly between floating and diving, guaranteeing complete and comprehensive coverage every time.
Never worry about overlooked debris again. The Ultra’s Advanced AI Cruise Debris Detection system scans your pool after the initial clean, intelligently identifying and removing any stragglers like leaves. Its AI-driven camera and sensors continually learn and improve, recognizing different leaf types such as oak, maple, palm, and more. The result is an impressively thorough clean that traditional robots simply can’t match.
And when it comes to effortless pool management, the AquaSense 2 Ultra truly shines. With dual side brushes designed to sweep debris directly into the cleaner’s path, even pool corners and edges get pristine cleaning. Plus, the Beatbot app’s advanced navigation control lets you manually steer the AquaSense 2 Ultra across the water’s surface, making spot cleaning both precise and fun.
Finally, retrieval is easier than ever with Beatbot’s exclusive Smart Water Surface Parking technology. When cleaning finishes, or battery life falls below 15%, the AquaSense 2 Ultra autonomously returns to the pool edge, floats to the surface, and automatically releases water to make retrieval lighter and effortless. If it drifts, simply use the app’s one-touch retrieval button to bring it back to you.
The Beatbot AquaSense 2 Ultra is normally priced at $3,450 and is 15% off until March 31.
The AquaSense 2 Pro
The Beatbot AquaSense 2 Pro takes pool cleaning convenience to the next level with the 5-in-1 cleaning system. Featuring Beatbot’s exclusive ClearWater Clarification System and Smart Water Surface Parking, the AquaSense 2 Pro ensures every inch of your pool stays spotless with minimal effort on your part. Powered by nine precision-engineered motors, including dual floating chamber motors and surface propeller motors, it delivers exceptional maneuverability and efficiency.
Plus, the AquaSense 2 Pro offers smart app-based control for targeted surface cleaning, backed by a robust 13,400 mAh battery capable of up to 11 hours of surface cleaning or five hours of cleaning floors, walls, and waterlines. With AquaSense 2 Pro, maintaining a pristine pool has never been simpler.
The Beatbot AquaSense 2 Pro is usually priced at $2,499 and is 15% off until March 31.
Beatbot AquaSense 2
The Beatbot AquaSense 2 delivers powerful, reliable cleaning performance, combining advanced technology with user-friendly convenience. Equipped with a robust 200W brushless main pump motor, this 3-in-1 robotic cleaner effortlessly tackles floors, walls, and waterlines, providing full coverage with optimized path navigation and impressive 5500 GPH suction power.
Its innovative double-pass waterline scrubbing system thoroughly removes grime, leaving your pool spotless after every cycle. Ideal for pools of all sizes, including larger ones, the AquaSense 2 features a high-capacity battery that powers up to four hours of continuous floor cleaning.
Plus, its intuitive navigation and powerful suction provides stable, efficient cleaning on vertical surfaces and hard-to-reach areas. With AquaSense 2, a pristine pool is easy to achieve, so you can spend more time swimming and less time maintaining it.
The Beatbot AquaSense 2 is typically priced at $1,499 and is 20% off until March 31.
Spring forward into sparkling perfection – grab the AquaSense 2 model that best fits your needs today for up to 20% off and experience the ultimate pool-cleaning upgrade.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Environment
Toyota the EV battery supplier? Honda will use them to power up its 400,000 hybrids in the US
Toyota is now a battery supplier? That’s the plan. Honda will use Toyota’s batteries to power up its around 400,000 hybrids sold in the US.
Toyota will supply batteries for Honda hybrids in the US
Toyota’s $14 billion battery plant in North Carolina is ready for business. The facility will begin shipping out batteries next month, and it looks like Toyota already has its first customer.
According to a new Nikkei report, starting in fiscal 2025, Toyota will supply batteries for the roughly 400,000 Honda hybrids sold in the US.
Honda currently uses batteries from China and Japan for vehicles sold in the US, but the company is (like most) preparing for changes under Trump.
Honda’s electrified vehicles, including EVs and hybrids, accounted for over a quarter of US sales last year. The company sold over 308,500 hybrids and 40,400 electric vehicles in the US in 2024. The batteries will likely be used in the CR-V and other Honda hybrid vehicles.
Earlier this month, an extra 10% tariff on imports from China took effect. And that’s on top of the 10% imposed in February.
With more expected, including a 25% increase in vehicles imported from Japan, automakers are tightening up their supply chains.
A 25% tariff on Japanese vehicles, up from 2.5% currently, is estimated to cost the six major Japanese automakers about $20 billion in the US.
Tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada could cost Honda roughly $4.7 billion alone. Teaming up with Toyota to use its batteries for its hybrids is part of Japan’s broader global plans to ween off dependence on China and others for batteries and other emerging tech.
The new US plant, Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina (TBMC), is over seven million square feet, or about the size of 121 football fields.
As Toyota’s first in-house battery factory outside of Japan, the plant could be a game changer as Trump’s tariffs take effect. Securing Honda as a buyer will already help Toyota cut costs as it ramps up output.
Toyota plans to ramp up electrified vehicle (EV, PHEV, and hybrid) sales in North America from around 40% last year to 80% by 2030.
Electrek’s Take
Trump’s tariffs are already causing havoc, with nearly every automaker warning that they put the US further behind. Overseas automakers are not the only ones feeling the heat, either.
The “Big Three,” GM, Ford, and Jeep maker Stellantis all build vehicles in Canada and Mexico. GM cut output at its plant in Mexico in January, where the electric Chevy Equinox, Blazer, and Honda Prologue are made. Stellantis halted operations at its Brampton Assembly Plant in Canada last month, where it was expected to launch the Jeep Compass EV production. What’s next?
For Toyota, it looks like its $14 billion bet to build batteries in the US is already paying off. Now, we just need it to introduce more EVs.
After unveiling three new electric SUVs in Europe last week, including the updated bZ4X, Toyota hinted more is on the way for the US. Check back soon for updates.
What do you think? Do you want to see more Toyota EVs in the US, like the new C-HR+? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports12 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway