TECHNOLOGY
Group’s innovators go fuel steam ahead
Implats has ambitious plans for fuel cell technology, and Mark Smyth found it even operates a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle
Hydrogen fuel cell cars are not new. Like the electric car, the technology arrived and then was killed off. In the case of fuel cell cars, it was the massive costs that forced many carmakers to abandon their plans. Today, though, the technology is cheaper and hydrogen fuel cell cars are back. Toyota has its Mirai and Hyundai its ix35, and there are a number of commercial vehicles operating around the world using the technology. Toyota is so committed to hydrogen it has even become involved in the supply chain. Funky forklift Here in SA, though, we are firmly entrenched in the world of fossil fuels. Unless you are in Springs. Seriously, Springs? Yes, because tucked away in this small town outside Johannesburg is a hydrogen vehicle refuelling station. Standing in the yard at Impala Platinum, it is used to refuel a hydrogen fuel cell forklift. Company technical experts Fahmida Smith and Sifiso Sibaya have a huge amount of knowledge on the subject. They also have lots of letters behind ...
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