Currently, hydrogen cars, electric cars, natural gas cars, and hybrid cars are considered eco-friendly cars. According to CO₂ regulations, the concept of eco-friendly cars has been narrowed down to reducing carbon sequentially. As a representative example, hybrid cars combined with internal combustion engines and batteries are now considered eco-friendly cars, but they will be excluded from the strict eco-friendly car category in the near future.

“We have to strengthen carbon regulations, but we can’t change the initial industrial structure at once. Therefore, countries and automakers are looking for suitable ways to reduce carbon emissions. From now on, only pollution-free cars that completely eliminate carbon emissions will be recognized as eco-friendly cars.”

Eco-friendly cars, like electric cars, hydrogen cars, and natural gas cars, that have entered the market have both advantages and limitations. Therefore, research to solve this problem is being actively conducted. For instance, LNG cars use natural gas with low carbon emissions, but their output is still weak. Hence, research is being conducted to increase the output. Diesel cars, which are in danger of being expelled due to high emissions of fine dust, have a strong advantage of high thermal efficiency. So the development for clean diesel cars to lower carbon emissions has continued.

Increasing the energy density is the key to electric cars. This is because motordriven cars have high output and voltage, but the biggest disadvantage is that they have a short mileage once they are charged. The higher the proportion of nickel in the anode material, the greater the distance traveled by electric vehicles since the density of battery energy improves, and the risk of heat explosion also increases at the same time. Therefore, high technical skills are required to increase nickel content. In addition, lithium-ion batteries, which are mainly used today, are vulnerable to heat, pressure, and shock, so research on all solid-state batteries is also being conducted.

“Hydrogen cars have reached a high technical level, but the disadvantage is that they are expensive. Therefore, low-cost material development research is being carried out in various ways. The research industry is interested in replacing platinum, a typical catalyst. Another important research issue is to strengthen durability to satisfy consumers and recycle materials used in automobiles when they reach their lifespan.”

Professor Eom Seok-ki stressed that Korea’s technological capabilities in eco-friendly cars are as unique as anywhere else in the world.

“The most important part of an automobile is the engine. Electric car engines are batteries and hydrogen car engines are fuel cells, but as is well known, Korean companies are leading the global battery market. Only 3 companies, Japan’s Toyota, Honda and South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Company manufacture automobile fuel cells worldwide.”

Which of the various eco-friendly cars currently competing will dominate the market? This is closely related to the construction of related infrastructure. Electric cars can be supplied using the infrastructure that has been built in their lives to popularize chargers, but hydrogen cars need to set up new hydrogen charging stations. As a result, there are moves to expand the range from cars to buses, trucks, trains, and drones to improve the economy of hydrogen charging stations.

“You don’t have to think dichotomously. Electric and hydrogen cars can form a complementary relationship. Electric cars suitable for urban driving are mainly passenger cars, and hydrogen cars suitable for long-distance driving are suitable for trucks, railways and public transportation, so they can be developed selectively according to their applications.”

Although the car was humanity’s best invention, it has also been criticized for various environmental problems. In order to be reborn as a clean icon, automobiles are now trying to transform themselves.