LUTHATHE elinye igxathu ucwaningo oluqhubekayo eNingizimu Afrika ngezokuthutha ezingayingcolisi imvelo, ngesikhathi iToyota South Africa Motors (Tsam) iveza imoto iMirai ehamba nge-hydrogen.
Le moto ibisembuthwaneni iSmart Mobility Africa Summit, eGallagher Convention Centre, eGoli, kuleli sonto.
Ngo-2021, iToyota isayine isivumelwano sokusebenzisana neSasol ukuqhuba ucwaningo mayelana ne-hydrogen kwezezimoto kuleli.
Bekuneloli lwakwa-Air Product, okungenye yezinkampani eziyingxenye yalokhu kusebenzisana, ebelithwele i-hydrogen yakwaSasol, lithwele nomshini wokuyetha emotweni njengoba kusuke kwethiwa uphethroli egaraji.
Isikhulu seTsam, u-Andrew Kirby, sibe sesigibeza izikhulu zikahulumeni, okubalwa kuzo uNdunankulu Panyaza Lesufi waseGauteng sibazwisa iMirai.
UKirby uthe uma i-hydrogen ingabiza phakathi kuka-1$ no-2$ (R38.59) ikilogram, kungaheha abantu abaningi. Uthe empeleni izindleko zokuba nemoto ehamba nge-hyrogen zingashibha kunehamba ngokunye.
“Ukugcwalisa iMirai kuthatha u-6.8kg we-hydrogen bese ungakwazi ukuhamba ibanga elingu-650km,” kusho uKirby.
Isikhulu se-Air Products South Africa, uRob Richardson, sithe kuthatha i-hydrogen engu-1kg ukuhambisa iMirai u-100km ekubeni kuphethroli kungaba ngamalitha angu-7 kuya ku-8. Uthe ingaba yinhle emalolini amakhulu athwala impahla.
“Awudingi eningi ukuze uhambe ibanga elide futhi uthole amandla. Inkinga wukuthi i-hydrogen iyabiza kunophethroli nodizili ngoba ayikatholakali ngomthamo omningi.
Mhla kwaba njalo singalindela ukuthi yehle intengo mhlawumbe ize ibe ngaphansi ngisho kwekaphethroli,” kusho uRichardson.
UPriscillah Mabelane oyiVice-President, Energy Business eSasol uthe i-hydrogen bayikhiqiza efemini yabo eseSasolburg lapho befake khona ifamu ye-solar engu-3 MW.
“Kuzokwenziwa nefamu ephehla amandla ngomoya ezokhiqiza u-69 MW e-Eastern Cape ngonyaka ozayo, ukuze sizokwazi ukukhiqiza umthamo ongu-3 500 tons ngosuku,” kusho uPriscillah.
Uthe babheka izindlela zokwakha ingqalasizinda yokwetha nge-hydrogen emigwaqeni emikhulu ukuze kuzosizakala amaloli.
UKirby uthe baqala ngo-1992 ukuphenya nokwakha izimoto ezihamba nge-hydrogen. Uthe iMirai yokuqala eyafika emakethe ngo-2015 kwadayiswa ezingu-12 000 emhlabeni jikelele.
Uthe i-hydrogen ikahle kakhulu uma uhamba ibanga elide nasemalolini namabhasi. Muva nje bakhe iToyota Hilux efemini yabo eseThekwini, base beyithumela kwaToyota e-United Kingdom lapho beyenze khona ukuthi ihambe nge-hydrogen njengoba kwenziwa ucwaningo.
Nezinye izinkampani zenza ucwaningo nge-hydrogen njengoba iBMW imatasa nokuvivinya i-iX5 ehamba ngayo emazweni ahlukene.