Did Tesla Really Announce the "Model H" Hydrogen-Powered Car?

Dec 4, 2024 at 12:52 AM
Throughout 2024, a wave of online rumors began to circulate, suggesting that Tesla, the renowned electric car company, had announced the development of a new car called the “Model H” that would run on hydrogen fuel cells instead of traditional battery power. These rumors sparked significant interest and led to the publication of several articles detailing the alleged announcement. One such article, which was widely cited by other sites, claimed that this was a major U-turn from Elon Musk, who had previously predicted that Tesla would integrate hydrogen fuel cells into its automobiles by 2025. Musk, who had long been a critic of hydrogen, had once even referred to the fuel as “extremely silly.” However, now he seemed to be pinning his hopes on this technology to drive the growth of Tesla.

Social Media Buzz and Doubts

The claim about Tesla's “Model H” with hydrogen fuel cells not only spread to popular social media sites like Reddit and X but also garnered the attention of many users. In the comments section, some users appeared to believe the claim, while others were highly skeptical. One Reddit user wrote, “Fake. Elon has never confirmed this and is against it.” Another commenter on YouTube posted, “They got you good! This is a joke video generated by A.I.” Despite the doubts, the topic continued to generate a significant amount of discussion and views on various YouTube videos.

Historical Stance on Hydrogen

It is important to note that Musk has publicly opposed hydrogen fuel cell technology in the past. At a 2015 conference, he stated that hydrogen fuel cells were “extremely silly.” In 2020, he even posted on X, saying “fuel cells = fool sells” and “hydrogen fool sells make no sense.” These statements clearly show his initial stance against hydrogen fuel cells.

Manufacturer Comparisons

While it is true that some car manufacturers like Toyota and Honda have produced hydrogen-powered cars, there is currently no evidence to suggest that Tesla or its CEO, Elon Musk, have made a similar announcement. If such an announcement had been made, major news outlets and tech publications would have reported it. Tesla's focus has primarily been on battery-powered electric vehicles, and there is no indication that they are planning to shift their strategy to hydrogen fuel cells.

Current Status and Future Outlook

We reached out to Tesla and Musk for comment on this matter and will update this story if we receive a response. In conclusion, based on the lack of public announcements from Tesla regarding the release of a hydrogen-powered “Model H” car, we have to rate this claim as false. Tesla's commitment to providing sustainable transportation solutions through battery-powered electric vehicles remains strong, and there is no clear indication that they are planning to make a significant shift to hydrogen fuel cells in the near future.