Regan Brown
Hydrogen fuel cell cars are electric vehicles that use hydrogen to generate electricity and power the car's electric motors. Unlike traditional electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell cars do not rely on a built-in battery. Instead, they use hydrogen fuel cells to convert hydrogen into electricity. However, some hydrogen fuel cell cars do use a small, high-voltage battery as a buffer to smooth out power delivery and provide extra power during acceleration. This is because the electricity generated by the fuel cell can be difficult to control, and a small battery can help ensure a smooth and linear response when the driver applies the accelerator. The use of hydrogen fuel cell technology offers several advantages, such as zero tailpipe emissions and a long range of 300-500 kilometers, but it also faces challenges due to the limited availability of hydrogen fueling infrastructure.
Do hydrogen fuel cell cars need batteries?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Do hydrogen fuel cell cars need batteries? | Yes, a small "buffer" battery is used to store temporary energy. |
| How does it work? | Hydrogen combines with oxygen in a fuel cell stack to produce electricity, which is then directed to the electric motor and/or the battery as needed. |
| How does it differ from battery-powered cars? | Hydrogen fuel cell cars produce electricity themselves, while battery-powered cars rely on external power sources to charge their built-in large batteries. |
| Advantages of hydrogen fuel cell cars | Hydrogen vehicles have a similar range to e-cars with large battery storage, but without the weight of a large battery. They also have a short refueling time of around five minutes. |
| Disadvantages of hydrogen fuel cell cars | Hydrogen refueling infrastructure is still being developed and may not be as widely available as electric charging stations. |
| Examples of hydrogen fuel cell cars | Toyota Mirai, Honda CR-V e:FCEV, Hyundai Nexo SUV, Honda Clarity Fuel Cell |
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What You'll Learn
Hydrogen fuel cell cars are powered by an electric motor
The electricity generated in the fuel cell can take two routes. It can flow to the electric motor and directly drive the vehicle, or it can charge a battery for when the energy is needed for the drive. This battery is significantly smaller than the battery of an all-electric car and is constantly being recharged by the fuel cell.
The hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (HFCV) uses the same kind of electric motor to turn the wheels as a battery-electric car. However, it is powered not by a large, heavy battery but by a fuel cell stack. In this stack, pure hydrogen passes through a membrane to combine with oxygen from the air, producing the electricity that turns the wheels, as well as water vapour.
The amount of energy stored on board is determined by the size of the hydrogen fuel tank. This is different from an all-electric vehicle, where the amount of power and energy available are closely related to the battery's size. Hydrogen fuel cell cars are more efficient than conventional internal combustion engine vehicles and produce no harmful tailpipe emissions.
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Hydrogen vehicles produce their own electricity
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) are powered by electricity, but unlike electric vehicles, they produce their own electricity. HFCVs use an electric motor to turn their wheels, but instead of drawing electricity from a large, heavy battery, they use a fuel cell stack. This fuel cell stack allows pure hydrogen to pass through a membrane to combine with oxygen from the air, producing electricity and water vapour. This process is known as reverse electrolysis.
The electricity generated in the fuel cell can take two routes, depending on the driving situation. It can flow directly to the electric motor and drive the vehicle, or it can charge a battery that acts as temporary storage until the energy is needed for driving. This "buffer" battery is significantly smaller and lighter than the battery of an all-electric car and is constantly recharged by the fuel cell.
The hydrogen used in these vehicles is stored in one or more armoured, carbon-fibre high-pressure tanks. These tanks can be refilled at hydrogen fuelling stations, which are becoming increasingly available worldwide. The refuelling process for HFCVs is similar to that of traditional gas stations and only takes around five minutes.
HFCVs have some advantages over traditional electric vehicles. For example, they have a similar range to electric cars with large battery storage but do not suffer from reduced range in cold weather. Additionally, hydrogen is an efficient way to store and transport renewable energy, and it can play a role in broader energy infrastructure.
However, HFCVs also have some drawbacks. They are currently more expensive than comparable electric vehicles due to production costs and the demand for platinum. Additionally, the infrastructure for hydrogen fuelling stations is still being developed and is not as widely available as electric charging stations.
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Hydrogen fuel cell cars have a buffer battery
The electricity generated in the fuel cell can take two routes. It can either be directed straight to the electric motor to drive the vehicle, or it can be used to charge a battery that acts as temporary storage until the energy is needed for driving. This "buffer" battery is significantly smaller and lighter than the battery of a fully electric car, and it is constantly being recharged by the fuel cell.
The Toyota Mirai, the best-selling hydrogen car in the US, has a high-voltage, low-capacity battery to supply supplemental power for short periods of intense acceleration. This battery is recharged from excess fuel-cell output when the car is cruising, or via regenerative braking when the car is slowing down.
The experience of driving an HFCV is almost identical to driving a battery-electric vehicle, although HFCVs are technically a series hybrid. They are sometimes classified as fuel-cell hybrid electric vehicles (FCHEVs).
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Hydrogen fuel cell cars are more expensive than e-cars
Hydrogen fuel cell cars are electric vehicles that produce electricity themselves. They do not rely on a built-in battery like traditional electric cars. Instead, they use a fuel cell and pressurized tanks of hydrogen gas. The fuel cell strips the electrons from the hydrogen molecules, making electricity to power the vehicle's electric motor.
Despite the advantages of hydrogen fuel cell cars, they are currently more expensive than e-cars. This is due to a variety of factors, including the industrialization of production, the demand for platinum, and the cost of hydrogen fuel. Hydrogen fuel has historically been priced at about $20 per kilogram, but supply chain disruptions have recently caused prices to soar to $36 per kilogram. The total cost of ownership for hydrogen fuel cell cars is about 10% more than for electric vehicles.
The higher cost of hydrogen fuel cell cars is also due to the limited infrastructure for refueling. Hydrogen fuel cell cars require specialized refueling stations, and as of 2023, there were only about 1000 refueling stations globally. In comparison, electric vehicles can be charged at thousands of charging stations worldwide, making them a more convenient and cost-effective option for consumers.
The scarcity of hydrogen fuel contributes to its high price. Hydrogen is the most abundant chemical substance in the universe, but it is expensive to produce pure hydrogen for vehicles. Additionally, the process of converting hydrogen gas into electricity to operate the vehicle is complex, which adds to the overall cost.
While the cost of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles has been decreasing, making them more affordable, the cost of hydrogen fuel cell technology has remained relatively high. This has led to the dominance of electric vehicles in the market, with over a million electric cars sold in the US last year compared to just under 3,000 hydrogen fuel cell cars.
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Hydrogen fuel cell cars are classified as FCHEV
FCHEVs combine an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) with a hydrogen fuel cell system to power the vehicle. They use the same kind of electric motor as battery-electric cars but are powered by a fuel cell stack. In this stack, pure hydrogen passes through a membrane to combine with oxygen from the air, producing the electricity that turns the wheels, as well as water vapour. This makes a fuel-cell vehicle technically a series hybrid.
The electricity generated in the fuel cell can either flow to the electric motor and directly drive the vehicle, or it can be used to charge a battery for temporary storage until the energy is needed for driving. This "buffer" battery is much smaller and lighter than the battery of an all-electric car and is constantly being recharged by the fuel cell. The addition of a battery can help to supply supplemental power for short periods of intense acceleration.
The use of multiple energy sources in FCHEVs increases the complexity of the operating mode of the power system. This has led to challenges in ensuring efficient and smooth operation, as well as the development of various energy management strategies (EMSs) to address these challenges.
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Frequently asked questions
Hydrogen fuel cell cars do not rely on a large, heavy built-in battery as their primary power source, unlike electric vehicles. Instead, they use a fuel cell stack to generate electricity.
Hydrogen fuel cells generate electricity through a process known as reverse electrolysis, where hydrogen reacts with oxygen to produce electrical energy, heat, and water vapour.
While hydrogen fuel cell cars primarily use fuel cells for power, they may have a small "buffer" battery that acts as temporary energy storage. This battery is constantly recharged by the fuel cell and is significantly smaller and lighter than the batteries in all-electric cars.
The buffer battery in a hydrogen fuel cell car serves as a supplementary power source during periods of intense acceleration. It is recharged through excess fuel-cell output or regenerative braking.
Hydrogen fuel cell cars offer several advantages over battery-powered electric vehicles, including shorter refuelling times, longer ranges, and reduced infrastructure costs. However, they currently face challenges due to higher production costs and limited fuelling infrastructure.
