Electric cars: With the new process for clean hydrogen, journeys can be made 50 miles longer than the range of a Tesla

Tesla is poised to become a powerhouse in the automotive industry as the world turns to fossil fuel vehicles for their electric counterparts.

However, a new technology has the potential to topple the company owned by Elon Musk and its battery-powered electric vehicles.

This clean fuel, known as blue gas or blue hydrogen, is made by combining hydrogen production from natural gas (methane) with the capture and storage of carbon.

The resulting product can be used in hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles to generate electricity with no harmful emissions – just that of water vapor.

Blue gas can get vehicles to 483 km on a full tank, while the Tesla power system can only deliver up to 402 km on average with a full battery.

This fuel requires lithium or rare earth elements, takes less time to refuel, and lasts longer than battery-powered vehicles – making it a potential “Tesla killer”.

Scroll down for video

Parts of the US and the world plan to eliminate gas-powered vehicles as early as 2023 to reduce emissions and combat climate change.

In the UK, for example, the government has announced a ban on the sale of new gasoline and diesel vehicles that will come into effect from 2030.

The move is expected to not only benefit the environment, but also bring a blessing to electric car manufacturers like Tesla.

However, the rise of Tesla, predicted by industry experts, could now be threatened by advances in blue gas.

This is one of the names for hydrogen gas that is produced in a climate-neutral process – in contrast to conventional or “gray” hydrogen production, in which carbon by-products are released into the atmosphere.

It is made by one of two processes called “steam methane reforming” and “autothermal reforming” which convert methane and water to hydrogen and carbon monoxide.

The carbon-based product of this reaction is then captured and stored, rather than being released into the atmosphere to contribute to global warming.

Blue gas seems like the fuel source the world has been waiting for, but the problem with innovation is we have to wait for it. Fuel is still in its infancy and companies are learning how to move forward in ways their customers want to buy. Hydrogen filling stations are not only in the early stages of development, they are nowhere near widespread

Tesla is poised to become a powerhouse in the auto industry as the world dumps gas-powered vehicles for electricity, but new technology could topple the company owned by Elon Musk. The Tesla logo pictured in his office in Bern, Switzerland

Instead of emitting polluting emissions like fossil-fuel vehicles, those that run on blue gas just emit water and heat, reports SpaceCoastDaily.

These vehicles have fuel cells in which the hydrogen is combined with oxygen in a so-called electrochemical reaction.

This generates electricity with which, depending on the version of the vehicle in question, an electric motor can be driven and / or a battery can be charged.

Although Tesla is touted as being environmentally friendly, the company uses lithium in its battery design.

The metal’s extraction process requires 500,000 gallons of water per ton of lithium, damages the soil and causes air pollution.

And as soon as a lithium battery is empty, it is thrown away.

However, Tesla’s website states, “None of our scrapped lithium-ion batteries will go into landfill and 100 percent will be recycled.”

The new blue fuel also offers more miles on a full tank – about 50 more miles.

According to Solar Reviews: “Similar to a gasoline engine, the Tesla adjusts the available mileage up or down depending on the current driving conditions.

“You might have 250 miles to go on a full charge, but it might be a little less if you keep stepping on the accelerator and driving aggressively.”

Blue gas seems like the fuel source the world has been waiting for, but the problem with innovation is we have to wait for it.

Fuel is still in its infancy and companies are learning how to move forward in ways their customers want to buy.

Hydrogen filling stations are not only in the early stages of development, but are currently far from widespread.

Although Tesla is touted as being environmentally friendly, the company uses lithium in its battery. The extraction process requires 500,000 gallons of water per ton of lithium, damages the soil and causes air pollution. Pictured is a Tesla charging station in Bristol, England

By the time Blue Gas becomes better known, the world seems to continue its shift towards electrically powered vehicles.

Ford recently announced that it will only sell electric vehicles in Europe from 2030, and Jaguar will follow suit with the introduction of the change in 2025.

And General Motors will switch in 2035.

But the US states are also making the change, with California and Massachusetts at the top – the ban on new sales of gas and diesel-powered vehicles begins in 2035.

WHAT IS BLUE HYDROGEN?

So-called “blue” hydrogen is the name for hydrogen gas that is produced in a climate-neutral process.

It is made by one of two processes called “steam methane reforming” and “autothermal reforming” which convert methane and water to hydrogen and carbon monoxide.

The carbon-based product of this reaction is then captured and stored, rather than being released into the atmosphere to contribute to global warming.

Here the process differs from conventional or so-called “gray” hydrogen production, in which the carbon is not captured.

However, critics have claimed that it is not possible to capture all of the carbon released in this process, saying there may be hidden environmental costs.

The picture shows an artistic impression of a future production facility for blue hydrogen

There are also other “colors” of hydrogen production.

Green hydrogen is produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen by means of electrolysis, ie no carbon by-products are created.

Oxygen waste, meanwhile, can be released into the atmosphere without harmful effects on the environment.

The electricity required for this process is provided from renewable energy sources such as wind power or solar energy.

If only solar energy is used, the product is called “yellow” hydrogen.

And when nuclear energy is used to power the reaction, the resulting gas is sometimes referred to as “pink” hydrogen.

In the picture: An example of how hydrogen (blue or otherwise) can power an electric car

Regardless of the “color” of the formation process, a fuel cell can be operated with the hydrogen to power a car.

In the cell, the hydrogen is combined with oxygen in a so-called electrochemical reaction to generate electricity that can be used to drive an electric motor and / or charge a battery.

However, unlike conventional fuel, water is the only by-product of this reaction, making it safe for the environment.