Rajan Wilcox
The practicality of fuel cell cars is a highly debated topic. Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) combine hydrogen stored in a tank with oxygen from the air to produce electricity, emitting only water vapour from their tailpipes. While fuel cell vehicles offer promising eco-credentials, they are currently held back by certain drawbacks. This includes the high cost of cars, limited hydrogen infrastructure, and the environmental impact of hydrogen production. On the other hand, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) are gaining popularity, with over 5 million plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) globally by the end of 2018. Safety concerns, energy efficiency, and the dominance of BEVs in the market are also factors that impact the practicality of fuel cell cars.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Pros | Quick and easy to refuel, only water is produced, easy to achieve hundreds of miles between fill-ups, cleanest fuel possible |
| Cons | Very expensive to buy, poor infrastructure, notable environmental impact of hydrogen production, inefficient fuel storage, inferior to BEVs in terms of energy efficiency, safety concerns, time taken to charge |
| Market Performance | As of 2019, only 7,500 hydrogen cars were sold worldwide compared to over 5 million PEVs. Toyota's Mirai, introduced in 2015, has found 5,000 buyers since. Honda has nearly 1,100 Clarity Fuel Cell vehicles on US roads. |
| Future Prospects | Hydrogen cars are not expected to replace EVs but to complement pure-electric power. The Hydrogen Council, an industry body, predicts there could be 13 million fuel cell vehicles in operation globally by 2030. |
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What You'll Learn
Hydrogen cars: pros and cons
Hydrogen cars are powered by combining or reacting hydrogen and oxygen in a fuel cell stack to generate electricity, with water vapour as the only waste product. This electricity is then used to power the car's electric motors that turn its wheels.
Pros
- Hydrogen cars produce zero tailpipe emissions, with water vapour as the only waste product.
- They can carry enough hydrogen fuel for a range of 300-400 miles.
- They don't require large batteries as the fuel cells convert hydrogen to electricity in real-time.
- They are silent in operation, contributing to a peaceful and comfortable ride.
- They have short refuelling times, comparable to fossil-fuel-powered vehicles.
- They do not need to be plugged in.
- Hydrogen fuel is sold at existing gas stations, making it easy for owners to refuel.
- They do not require fossil fuels if the hydrogen is sourced from renewable sources, and can have a neutral carbon footprint.
Cons
- Hydrogen cars are expensive to refuel, costing about $80 to fill up.
- Hydrogen fuel production is non-eco-friendly, with most hydrogen fuel currently produced from natural gas and coal, which produce CO2 emissions.
- Hydrogen production can be energy-intensive, relying on fossil fuels such as gasoline and diesel, which counteracts the zero-emissions nature of the cars.
- Hydrogen has low energy density, which presents storage and transportation challenges.
- Hydrogen is a dangerously explosive gas.
- Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have lost the battle to battery-powered electric vehicles, with far fewer sales and consumer enthusiasm.
- Hydrogen cars use expensive metals such as titanium and platinum.
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Hydrogen vs battery-powered cars
Hydrogen fuel cell cars (FCVs) are electric vehicles that use a fuel cell and pressurised tanks of hydrogen gas. The fuel cell strips the electrons from the hydrogen molecules, creating electricity to power the vehicle's electric motor. Excess electrons are stored in a small battery for use when a burst of energy is needed.
Battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs) are also powered by an electric motor, but the electricity is stored in a rechargeable battery array. These batteries are heavy, often 1,000 pounds or more, and mounted beneath the floor of the car. BEVs must be plugged into the electric grid to charge, whereas FCVs do not need to be plugged in.
FCVs have a longer range than BEVs, with most models offering over 300 miles on a full tank. They are also faster to refuel than BEVs, which can take several hours to fully charge. However, there are far fewer hydrogen refuelling stations than EV charging points, and developing a reliable, affordable and widespread hydrogen fuelling infrastructure is a significant challenge.
BEVs are considerably more energy-efficient than FCVs. With a BEV, around 20% of energy is lost between power generation and propulsion. With an FCV, electricity must first be converted to hydrogen via electrolysis, a process that is only 75% efficient. Further energy is lost during compression, chilling and transportation of the gas, and the fuel cell process of converting hydrogen back to electricity is only 60% efficient.
In terms of emissions, BEVs produce no exhaust emissions, but there are emissions involved in the production of the vehicle and the extraction of raw materials. FCVs emit only water vapour, but the production of hydrogen can lead to pollution, depending on the method used. Renewable sources of hydrogen, such as agricultural and waste sites, are increasing, but the majority of hydrogen is currently sourced from non-renewable sources.
As of 2024, there were around 57 BEV models available in the US, whereas only two FCV models were available, both sold only in California. Over a million BEVs were sold in the US in 2023, compared to just under 3,000 FCVs. However, FCV manufacturers such as Toyota and Honda are investing in new hydrogen fuelling stations, and companies including Toyota, Hyundai and BMW are developing new hydrogen cars.
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Hydrogen fuel cell cars: the future?
Hydrogen fuel cell cars have been touted as the future of personal transport. They are powered by hydrogen, which is the most abundant resource in the universe. Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) combine hydrogen stored in a tank with oxygen from the air to produce electricity, emitting only water vapour from their tailpipes. Unlike electric vehicles, they do not need to be plugged in and can be filled up almost as quickly as traditional gas and diesel vehicles.
However, there are several drawbacks to hydrogen fuel cell cars. Firstly, they are currently very expensive to buy. In addition, hydrogen production has a notable environmental impact, as it requires electricity to be converted to hydrogen via electrolysis, which is only 70-75% efficient. The gas then needs to be compressed, chilled and transported, resulting in further energy losses. The process of converting hydrogen back to electricity is only 60% efficient, and there is an additional 5% loss when driving the vehicle, resulting in a total energy loss of 40%.
Another issue is the lack of fuelling stations, although this is changing, with consumer hydrogen refuelling stations increasing worldwide. Safety concerns have also been raised, as hydrogen is a dangerously explosive gas. While there have been no reported cases of cars detonating, and fuel tanks are now Kevlar-lined, explosions at a chemical plant in Santa Clara and a refuelling station in Sandvika, Norway, in 2019 highlighted the risks associated with hydrogen.
Despite these challenges, some companies remain optimistic about the potential of hydrogen fuel cell cars. Toyota, for example, has invested heavily in hydrogen technology and is making a push for fuel cell cars, particularly in China, which it sees as a promising market. Honda has also made a significant commitment to hydrogen, with nearly 1,100 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell vehicles on the road in the US as of 2018.
In conclusion, while hydrogen fuel cell cars offer some advantages, such as quick and easy refuelling and long ranges, they also face several challenges, including high costs, environmental impacts, and safety concerns. It remains to be seen whether these issues can be overcome to make hydrogen fuel cell cars a viable option for the future of personal transport.
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Hydrogen refueling stations
Hydrogen Refuelling Stations (HRSs) are essential infrastructure that is rapidly spreading worldwide to support the deployment of fuel cell electric vehicles. These stations are crucial for the adoption of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) as a green transportation technology.
While the safety concerns surrounding hydrogen as a fuel source are well-documented, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have not had any reported cases of detonation. Additionally, fuel tanks are now Kevlar-lined to protect against explosions. However, the low efficiency of hydrogen fuel cells compared to battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs) remains a significant drawback. The process of converting electricity to hydrogen, compressing, chilling, and transporting it, and then converting it back to electricity results in significant energy losses.
Despite these challenges, consumer hydrogen refuelling stations are becoming more prevalent globally. For instance, Toyota and Honda are working with the Quebec government to build hydrogen infrastructure in Montreal, and Saudi Arabia is getting its first station. Toyota's Mirai, a hydrogen fuel cell family car, has found 5,000 buyers since its introduction in 2015, and the company expects sales to increase as refuelling stations become more accessible. Honda has also committed to hydrogen with nearly 1,100 of its Clarity Fuel Cell vehicles on US roads. Honda has teamed up with Toyota and a Shell Oil subsidiary to build new hydrogen fuelling stations in California, with two already built and five more in development.
Additionally, energy companies like Air Products are investing in building statewide networks of multi-modal hydrogen refuelling stations in California, connecting Edmonton and Calgary in Canada, and potentially in other US regions. These stations will serve heavy-duty vehicles like trucks and buses and light-duty hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
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Hydrogen fuel cell cars: efficiency
Hydrogen fuel cell cars are often touted as the future of passenger cars, with the promise of zero carbon emissions from exhausts. However, the efficiency of hydrogen fuel cell cars is a topic of debate. Hydrogen fuel cells are generally about 40-60% energy efficient, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, while the typical internal combustion engine of a car is about 25% energy efficient.
The efficiency of hydrogen fuel cell cars is lower than that of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) due to the energy vector transition. In BEVs, energy is transferred directly from the source to the car, with minimal loss. In contrast, hydrogen fuel cells require double the amount of energy due to the additional steps involved in converting electricity to hydrogen and then back to electricity. The electrolysis process, which converts electricity to hydrogen, is only 75% efficient, and subsequent steps of compressing, chilling, and transporting the gas result in further energy losses of about 10%. The final step of converting hydrogen back to electricity is only 60% efficient.
Despite these inefficiencies, some argue that hydrogen fuel cell cars are still a viable option for everyday use. The refuelling process for hydrogen fuel cell cars is similar to that of traditional gas and diesel vehicles, and the driving distance offered is comparable to that of petrol-powered cars. Additionally, companies like Toyota and Honda are investing in the development and infrastructure of hydrogen fuel cell technology, with Toyota's Mirai and Honda's Clarity Fuel Cell vehicles already on the market.
However, critics argue that the inefficiencies, coupled with safety concerns and the availability of alternative green transportation options, make hydrogen fuel cell cars impractical. BEVs have already established a strong presence in the market, with over 5 million BEVs on the roads globally by the end of 2018, compared to only 7,500 hydrogen cars sold worldwide by the end of 2019. The convenience and improving infrastructure of BEVs, along with their superior energy efficiency, make them a more attractive option for consumers.
While hydrogen fuel cell cars may have their advantages, the efficiency and practicality of BEVs seem to be winning the battle for the future of green personal transportation.
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Frequently asked questions
A fuel cell car is a car that is powered by hydrogen. Hydrogen is stored in a high-pressure tank and then combined with oxygen in a fuel cell stack to generate electricity.
Fuel cell cars are a clean source of energy and are easy to refuel. They are also quick to refuel and can achieve hundreds of miles between fill-ups.
Fuel cell cars are currently very expensive to buy. The infrastructure for refuelling is also lacking in many places. Hydrogen production has an environmental impact and fuel cells wear out quickly.
Fuel cell cars are not expected to replace electric vehicles (EVs) but rather to complement them. This is because hydrogen is a clean fuel that can be produced on-site and does not require electricity to store. However, fuel cell cars are not as efficient as EVs and are more expensive.
Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, and GM are some of the companies that have invested in fuel cell cars. Toyota's Mirai and Honda's Clarity Fuel Cell are two examples of fuel cell cars on the market.
