Why is the Government so obsessed over electric cars, shouldn't its focus be on hydrogen vehicles?

Why is the Government so obsessed with electric vehicles considering the energy involved in mining for lithium and the generation of electricity to power electric vehicles, none of which go very far before requiring charging. How much lithium is there and how do you dispose of the batteries?

Surely the answer lies in promoting hydrogen-powered vehicles, as this would be far more environmentally friendly and refuelling the tank would be as quick and easy as refuelling with petrol or diesel. I occasionally drive from the north of Scotland to Edinburgh and London. Electric vehicles with their range and time to recharge would create serious problems.

Asked on 6 September 2021 by

Answered by Andrew Brady
I wouldn't say the Government is obsessed with electric vehicles over hydrogen vehicles. All the incentives (and the 2030 ban) focus on 'zero-emission' vehicles – whether they're powered by electricity, hydrogen or fairy dust. Manufacturers and the media simply focus on electric vehicles because they sell in much larger numbers than hydrogen vehicles.

This might change in the future, but at the moment there are only a handful of hydrogen vehicles on sale (cars like the Toyota Mirai and Hyundai Nexo). Manufacturers are taking a lot of responsibility for recycling electric vehicle batteries – Volkswagen Group has recently opened a dedicated battery recycling plant, for example.
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