Despite investigating artificial fuels and electric cars as opportunities for gasoline and diesel, German sports car maker Porsche appears to be keeping the door open to a long run with hydrogen fuel cells.
As CarBuzz discovered, Porsche has filed a patent application in Germany for mobile hydrogen fuel technology, suggesting that its engineers are continuing to develop and expand a propulsion method of choice.
While Porsche produced a hydrogen-fuelled internal-combustion engine in 2023 – a 4.4-litre V8 fitted to a “luxury-segment reference vehicle” weighing 2650kg – this is believed to be the first time the brand has shown an interest in hydrogen fuel-cell technology.
Unlike internal-combustion engines which are fed hydrogen in place of petrol or diesel, hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles are essentially electric cars that convert hydrogen to electricity, reducing the need for batteries and charging.
Curiously, in early 2023, Porsche’s parent company Volkswagen ruled out using hydrogen for its passenger cars – instead committing to electric vehicles.
Porsche has invested millions of dollars in the development of artificial fuels, which use carbon collected from the environment to create artificial gas that produces net-zero emissions, adding the announcement of a production in Tasmania.
At this point, it’s unclear exactly how seriously Porsche is taking hydrogen, but the patent application suggests it’s not absolutely out of the question.
Journalist
Ben Zachariah is a seasoned Melbourne journalist and automotive-based who has worked in the automotive industry for more than two decades. Ben began writing professionally over 15 years ago and in the past was an interstate truck driver. He finished his MBA in Finance in early 2021 and is considered an expert in vintage vehicle investments.