Hydrogen Cars: Driving Toward a Greener Future
Everything you need to know about hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.
Photo Source: Popular Mechanics
Electric vehicles have grown increasingly popular in the move toward a more sustainable planet, but another vehicle, known as a fuel cell electric vehicle, provides an alternative option with the same objective.
Similar to electric vehicles (EVs), fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) utilize electricity to power an electric motor. However, instead of using a battery to produce electricity, FCEVs use fuel cells powered by hydrogen. Because of this, the amount of energy stored in an FCEV depends on the size of the hydrogen fuel tank, whereas in an EV, the amount of power and energy in the vehicle depend on the size of the battery.
Below is a depiction of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle so you can see the differences, most notably the hydrogen fuel tank and the fuel cell stack.
Photo Source: U.S. Department of Energy
Hydrogen is a powerful clean energy source on the rise in sustainability efforts, so why wouldn’t it be a viable option to power cars? While some people find it dangerous, others find it advantageous. First, let’s take a look at some of the benefits of using an FCEV.
It is zero emissions and eco-friendly to produce hydrogen as an alternative to fossil fuels. Hydrogen is produced when solar power and wind power use electrolysis to extract it from water, which leaves a low carbon footprint. Therefore, the production of FCEVs is sustainable.
Additionally, hydrogen has the potential to produce a lot of power, which means FCEVs will likely be able to travel further distances than regular EVs, which is a current concern when people evaluate EVs today.
Although FCEVs are sustainable, there are many concerns regarding these vehicles, most notably scaling for consumers and safety risks.
Hydrogen production facilities have been established for decades, however, the issue in scaling to serve a large consumer base is in the lack of refueling centers. This is similar to EVs, where access to charging stations is a work in progress.
As of 2022, there are 165 large fueling stations for hydrogen FCEVs in the United States, which is expected to increase to 4,300 by 2030, according to Statista. Not only is there a shortage in fueling stations, but a limit in available hydrogen fuel at these stations. The daily capacity at each large fueling station is expected to be 500 kilograms in 2025 and 1,000 kilograms in 2030. This issue continues abroad with only 14 publicly accessible refueling stations across the UK.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the best state to own an FCEV in right now is California due to its long-distance hydrogen network, which contains 59 stations in Los Angeles and the Bay Area.
At this point, even if an FCEV can travel farther than an EV, will it be worth it when you can’t find another station to refuel?
Another concern of operating fuel cell and hydrogen-powered vehicles is safety. To power the vehicles, fuel cells combine hydrogen gas (H2) and oxygen (O2) into water (H2O) and electrical energy. Therefore, if an FCEV were to crash, there can be potential for electrical shock or flammability of the fuel.
However, car manufacturers argue in favor of FCEVs, noting that these concerns have been addressed. For Example, Toyota states that the Mirai’s multi-layer hydrogen tank is so strong that it can repel bullet shots and that hydrogen is safer to handle than petrol or diesel.
While FCEVs are still small at scale, we believe there is room for this vehicle to grow as sustainability efforts improve. However, with many risks involved, we think consumers will have a hard time adapting to or feeling safe in this form of vehicle. Overall, we believe we will see more regular EVs than FCEVs on the road for a very long time to come.
Best,
Ariana for the Don’t Count Us Out Yet Team