---
title: "German Researchers Converted a Tesla Model Y Into a Hydrogen Car"
description: "German researchers working on a research initiative to decarbonized the steel industry unveiled a modified hydrogen Tesla that runs on synthetic fuel."
date: "2021-09-24"
modified: "2021-09-24"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/converted-tesla-hydrogen-car"
categories:
  - "Advanced Transport"
  - "Tesla"
tags:
  - "energy"
  - "hydrogen fuel"
  - "tesla"
  - "the digest"
---

# German Researchers Converted a Tesla Model Y Into a Hydrogen Car

![German researchers working on a research initiative to decarbonized the steel industry unveiled a modified hydrogen Tesla that runs on synthetic fuel.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/modely.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: \<a href="https://unsplash.com/@craventure" target="\_blank"\>Craventure / Futurism  \</a\>\</em\>*

## Hesla Motors

On Wednesday, German Federal Research Minister Anja Karliczek revealed an automotive Frankenstein creation: A Tesla Model Y that had been [converted into a hydrogen vehicle](<https://futurism.com/hacked-tesla-drives-hydrogen>) that she called a "hyper hybrid."

The goal was to demonstrate the future of clean transportation. But [as *Teslarati* notes](<https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-model-y-hydrogen-conversion/>), the decision to modify a Tesla — perhaps the most well-known electric vehicle out there — rather than a gas-burning car is somewhat baffling.

## Fool Cells

It's not clear whether Tesla was involved in the project to take a Model Y and make it run on synthetic methanol, which *Teslarati* reports costs about $10 million. But the odds aren't great, given Tesla CEO Elon Musk's distaste for hydrogen fuel cell technology.

During a [public spat](<https://futurism.com/history-elon-musk-feud-rival-nikola>) last year with Trevor Milton, the [now-disgraced CEO](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/trevor-milton-charged-fraud>) of the hydrogen automaker Nikola Motors, Musk referred to hydrogen fuel cells as "fool cells" and called the technology "staggeringly dumb."

## Model Unit

The actual "hyper hybrid" Tesla was meant to represent the [concepts behind hydrogen fuel](<https://futurism.com/ammonia-hydrogen-fuel>) more so than to become a street-ready vehicle. The Carbon2Chem initiative, which aims to decarbonize the steel industry, designed the car to demonstrate new ways to save energy and recycle fuel, according to *Teslarati*.

"Today we are building a very interesting bridge between these two points: The use of methanol from 'recycled' CO2 from industry as a fuel in road transport," Karliczek said at the Wednesday announcement. "But the methanol car itself is also an 'innovation showcase' for low-emission, resource- and energy-efficient mobility of tomorrow."

**READ MORE:** [Tesla Model Y converted into green hydrogen car to show “Hyper Hybrid” innovations](<https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-model-y-hydrogen-conversion/>) \[*Teslarati*\]

**More on Tesla and Hydrogen:** *[A Brief History of Elon Musk’s Festering Feud With Rival Automaker Nikola](<https://futurism.com/history-elon-musk-feud-rival-nikola>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)