They're not really doubling down on fossil fuels. They're just going into hydrogen fuel cells instead. But, Toyota tried that and it's not working. The Japanese are incredibly stubborn for these things.

Meanwhile, China is coming with a new solid state battery for E.V.s that will revolutionize everything. Fast charging up to 80% within 5 min. Temperature doesn't affect the efficiency, will allow for longer range and is also safe against punctures as they don't catch on fire like conventional batteries.

[–] neukenindekeuken@sh.itjust.works -1 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

It's because hydrogen is superior to electric batteries in terms of ease of storage, range, filling up, and probably even energy use.

The issue is there's no infrastructure for it like we have for electric. Everyone can charge their car at home. Not everyone is willing to invest in a huge hydrogen electrolysis system at home to refuel.

[–] ZombieCyborgFromOuterSpace@piefed.ca 1 points 12 hours ago

You got sources for these claims?

[–] blarth@thelemmy.club 3 points 2 days ago

BYD Flash charging is sick as fuck.

[–] chonglibloodsport@lemmy.world -2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The Japanese are incredibly stubborn for these things

They’re not stubborn, they don’t have a choice. The Japanese electrical grid is antiquated and stressed to the breaking point. A massive consumer migration to EVs would cause total collapse.

There aren’t any easy solutions either. The Fukushima nuclear disaster has made the situation even worse, both by reducing the amount of generation capacity and by constraining policy (new nuclear plants are politically untenable now).

Renewables seem like the obvious answer, but the grid infrastructure isn’t good there. There’s No storage capacity, nor is there any geographic redundancy. Japan is a country of 122 million people crammed into a few small islands. When the sun stops shining, it stops shining for the whole country. When the wind doesn’t blow, it doesn’t blow for the whole country. This means if they become dependent on a lot of renewables they become susceptible to multiple-day blackouts, with potentially severe consequences in the winter.

[–] farmgineer@nord.pub 4 points 23 hours ago

There's a lot wrong with this.

new nuclear plants are politically untenable now

Was the case but not so much now, especially as rising prices and inflation are crunching families. Several parties now include at least reviving shut-down plants that are safe to do.

the grid infrastructure isn’t good there

Could you elaborate here?

When the sun stops shining, it stops shining for the whole country

We're not that small, even going on the main islands alone.

When the wind doesn’t blow, it doesn’t blow for the whole country.

And this is just plain wrong for a number of climate and geographical reasons.

I've lived in Japan for more than a decade both in greater Tokyo and rural Tohoku in addition to traveling all around it.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 0 points 1 day ago

, China is coming with a new solid state battery for E.V.s that will revolutionize everything.

every week those stories come out. Will be too expensive for most people if/when they ever actually appear.