Geely currently makes different kinds of alternatives to gas-powered vehicles. However, they insist on working with Methanol-powered vehicles too.
Being a Chinese local carmaker, a traditional EV maker wouldn’t consider such drastic investment on a failing product. Compared to last year, there is a 153% growth in EV sales in the country. As more affordable options are entering the market, the competition is getting tough.
Lowering carbon emissions
Methanol and hydrogen fuel cells are considered a better option in place of gasoline-powered vehicles. China being the most populated country, needed the EV transition as quickly as possible. Reducing carbon emissions is the common goal.
Methanol is less expensive but more toxic with lower energy density. However, the ability to produce Methanol from hydrocarbon or renewable energy resources caught the attention of car makers.
While it is interesting on paper, the complex production methods are far away from how simple it is with battery vehicles. In fact, it is already in use with racing cars as there is not much carbon emission with methanol fuel. But the toxicity and fire safety are the main concerns for large-scale production.
Geely is working on the technology
Irrespective of what the data shows, Gleey is still working on it. There are a few other automakers still working on the alternatives. Possibly because battery vehicles need installation of infrastructure.
Recently Geely told in a conference, “We will keep exploring methanol vehicle technologies. Of course, it might fail in the end, but currently, we are still working on it,”
Further details on the technology weren’t revealed. But, they mentioned that Geely would be expanding its methanol-powered vehicle production. Which in turn shows how serious they are about these cars.
Hydrogen fuel cell in China
China aims to be carbon neutral by 2060, and there are companies that are focusing on hydrogen fuel cells. While major EV players like Tesla and VW claim that hydrogen fuel cells are no match for battery vehicles. Some companies like Geely are focusing on Methanol powered cars, and others on Hydrogen fuel cells.
However, no technology has shown promising results other than battery-powered electric vehicles. Because in the end, it is evident that the world needs to shift to fully electric vehicles with renewable energy sources, rather than using mediums like methanol or hydrogen cells.
Furthermore, the city of Beijing in China aims to have 10,000 fuel cell vehicles by 2025 with 75 hydrogen filling stations. And the local government is in support of this transition.
