Even with U.S. gasoline prices dropping over the course of the last several months, all automakers know that the day is coming where powertrains can no longer rely entirely on that particular fuel source. A dependence on foreign oil isn’t something American consumers are interested in perpetuating forever, which is why automakers like Mercedes-Benz have worked so hard to develop alternate fuel sources, including, most recently, hydrogen fuel cells.
These are engines that run on a hydrogen-based fuel rather than petroleum-based gasoline, and the biggest draw developing this specific tech is that the exhaust consists entirely of water vapor. Without losing anything in terms of performance, there isn’t a human being alive that wouldn’t rather send water into the atmosphere instead of carbon.
The good news is that Mercedes-Benz is developing a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain that is expected to boast a 373-mile range and refuel in a paltry three minutes, and while it’s still uncertain which vehicle will receive the new environmentally-friendly engine, there is a feeling that the new Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class crossover could be the beneficiary.
Obviously this all is a long ways out. First, the engineers at Mercedes-Benz have to figure out how to make the HFC drivetrain viable, then they have to make it work in an existing model and come up with a debut and production schedule, but despite all that it’s an interesting idea moving forward for an automaker that remains committed to churning out vehicles that offer the most modern technologies. Fans of Mercedes-Benz in Lakeland should be especially thrilled about the potential for a hydrogen fuel cell luxury crossover because these fuel prices might not stay so reasonable forever. When the day comes for a necessary switch, it’s nice to know Mercedes-Benz is ready for it.
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