Observations on the current happenings in the world of vehicles and the fuels that power them from Fuels Institute Executive Director, John Eichberger.
Should I Stay or Should I Go
Global leaders have made it clear that they want to transition away from hydrocarbons to address their concerns about climate change, but sharp increases in energy prices and, in some regions actual energy shortages, in the latter half of 2021 are compelling some to at least temporarily reverse course and increase their reliance on fossil fuels.
There’s Only One Way to Rock
National and regional governments continue to announce plans to phase out the internal combustion engine (ICE) and push for battery electric vehicles (BEV) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) powered by hydrogen. Each of these technologies have a lot to offer and will provide great benefits to consumers and the environment, but they may not be applicable to all use cases and, despite government efforts, the market’s transition to these vehicles will take a very long time.
Money (That’s What I Want)
While the primary focus of discussion these days is how to decarbonize transportation and the pace of market expansion for electric vehicles, we must not forget that access to reliable and affordable transportation is a key factor for economic opportunity. To that end, one of the hurdles new transportation technologies must overcome is cost – not just of the vehicles, but in comparison to other modes of transportation.