Ameer Randolph
Hydrogen fuel cell cars are vehicles that use hydrogen as their fuel source. They are powered by a specific energy source — hydrogen — using a special device: the fuel cell. Hydrogen fuel cell cars are a type of electric car, as they get their traction from an electric powertrain. They are considered to be sustainable and environmentally friendly, as they emit only water vapour and have zero tailpipe emissions. However, there are challenges associated with hydrogen fuel cell cars, including the availability of hydrogen fuel and the environmental impact of hydrogen production.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Hydrogen fuel cell car availability | As of mid-2022, there are 17,000 or fewer hydrogen-powered vehicles on U.S. roads, all in California |
| Hydrogen fuel cell car models | Honda Clarity Fuel Cell, Hyundai Nexo SUV, and Toyota Mirai |
| Hydrogen fuel cell car refueling time | Around 5 minutes for a 300- to 400-mile range |
| Hydrogen fuel cell car refueling stations in California | Less than 60 |
| Hydrogen fuel cell car cost | More expensive than comparable conventional cars, but leasing packages often include fuel, service, and maintenance |
| Hydrogen fuel cell car performance | Comparable range and performance to gasoline cars |
| Hydrogen fuel cell car emissions | Zero tailpipe emissions, only water vapour |
| Hydrogen fuel cell car power | Electricity is produced by a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen |
| Hydrogen fuel cell car safety | Hydrogen is stored in gaseous form in thick-walled tanks that have been validated as safe in crash tests |
| Hydrogen fuel cell car efficiency | The entire energy chain is currently only half as efficient as a BEV, but hydrogen can be produced when there is an oversupply of electricity from renewable energy sources |
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What You'll Learn
Hydrogen production costs and efficiency
Hydrogen fuel cell cars are a type of zero-emission vehicle, emitting only water vapour as it carries you down the road. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) are technically a series hybrid, powered by a fuel cell stack in which pure hydrogen passes through a membrane to combine with oxygen from the air, producing the electricity that turns the wheels.
The primary demand for hydrogen today is for petroleum refining and ammonia production. However, hydrogen can be used across multiple sectors to enable zero or near-zero emissions in other chemical and industrial processes, integrated renewable energy systems, and transportation.
The overall challenge to hydrogen production is cost. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office is focused on developing technologies that can produce hydrogen at $2/kg by 2026 and $1/kg by 2031 via net-zero-carbon pathways. In Europe, a kilogram of hydrogen currently costs around €14. If hydrogen production increases worldwide, as is currently foreseen, the price per kilogram in Germany could fall to €4-6 by 2030.
The cost of electricity for hydrogen producers is a key factor in estimating green hydrogen production costs. When sourcing renewable electricity, hydrogen producers must decide whether to install a directly connected renewable system or acquire renewable electricity supplied via the grid using a power purchase agreement (PPA). In 2023, the European Union released a Delegated Regulation with rules for how to define green hydrogen and its derivatives, which included hourly matching requirements for grid-connected PPAs starting in 2030. The proposed regulations for the Inflation Reduction Act 45V hydrogen tax credits in the United States would also require hourly matching in 2028.
The efficiency of the entire energy chain – from production of the electricity to operation of the vehicle – is currently still only half that of a BEV. However, hydrogen can be produced at times when there is an oversupply of electricity from renewable energy sources, and it is also a by-product in numerous industrial processes.
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Hydrogen storage and safety
Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles (HFCVs) are powered by a fuel-cell stack in which pure hydrogen passes through a membrane to combine with oxygen from the air, producing electricity to turn the wheels, as well as water vapour. Hydrogen can be stored physically as either a gas or a liquid. However, storing it as a liquid requires cryogenic temperatures as the boiling point of hydrogen at one atmosphere pressure is −252.8°C. Therefore, hydrogen is typically stored in gaseous form in high-pressure tanks (350-700 bar tank pressure). These tanks are designed to be safe, with numerous crash tests validating their integrity.
In the automotive application, hydrogen is stored physically as a gas. This enables the storage of sufficient hydrogen to allow FCEVs to travel between 300 and 600 km between refuelling. The storage tanks in cars must be able to withstand high pressures and store hydrogen without any leakage. Hydrogen tanks are equipped with pressure relief devices that prevent the pressure in the tanks from becoming too high.
Another possibility for hydrogen storage is chemical storage, where hydrogen is stored on the surface of solids (by adsorption) or within solids (by absorption). Several studies have been conducted on material-based hydrogen storage to further improve storage potential. These studies have investigated metal hydride, chemical hydrogen storage, and sorbent materials. Scientists and researchers are currently working on this issue, and the future will likely hold a variety of viable solutions.
The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) is developing onboard automotive hydrogen storage systems that allow for a driving range of more than 300 miles while meeting cost, safety, and performance requirements. HFTO conducts research and development activities to advance hydrogen storage systems technology and develop novel hydrogen storage materials. The goal is to provide adequate hydrogen storage to meet the performance expectations for range, passenger and cargo space, refuelling time, and overall vehicle performance.
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Hydrogen combustion engines
The first internal combustion engine (ICE) was designed by Francois Isaac de Rivaz in 1806 and ran on a hydrogen/oxygen mixture. However, hydrogen combustion engines have gained more interest in recent years, particularly for heavy-duty commercial vehicles. This is partly because they are seen as a bridging technology to meet future climate CO2 emission goals.
Despite this, hydrogen engines are still considered to be a step towards carbon reductions. Hydrogen engines share many similar components with diesel engines, making them an efficient, familiar, and scalable alternative. They also offer quick refueling times and diesel-like performance, durability, and reliability.
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Hydrogen fuel cell stacks
The fuel cell stack generates electrical energy by facilitating a "cold combustion" process. In this process, hydrogen and oxygen from the air are continuously fed into the fuel cell, where they undergo a chemical reaction that converts their energy into electricity. This reaction involves the catalytic splitting of hydrogen into electrons and protons. While the protons diffuse through a polymer membrane towards the cathode, the electrons flow from the anode to the cathode via an electrical circuit, providing electric current. At the cathode, the protons, electrons, and oxygen combine to form water.
This entire process only produces water, electricity, and heat as end products, with no harmful emissions or pollutants such as particulate matter or nitrogen oxides. The power output of a fuel cell stack depends on its size, with larger stacks producing higher voltages and greater surface areas yielding higher currents.
Fuel cell stacks can be integrated into systems to provide operational power, and they are available in various sizes and configurations to suit specific applications. The electricity produced by the fuel cell stack is then managed by a power electronics controller, which regulates the flow of electrical energy to the electric motor and controls its speed and torque.
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Hydrogen fueling stations
Hydrogen fuelling stations are an essential part of the infrastructure required to support hydrogen fuel cell cars. These stations provide hydrogen gas to vehicles that can be refuelled in a similar way and time frame as traditional petrol or diesel cars.
As of mid-2022, California is the only US state with a network of retail hydrogen fuelling stations, with less than 60 stations available. This is a key factor in the limited availability of hydrogen-powered vehicles, with only around 17,000 on US roads as of 2022. The high cost of hydrogen is another factor, with a price of around 14 euros per kilogram in 2022; however, this cost is expected to decrease with increased production.
At a hydrogen fuelling station, a nozzle from a fuel dispenser attaches to the vehicle's receptacle to fill the tank with hydrogen gas. This tank, or fuel cell, stores the hydrogen onboard the vehicle until it is needed to produce electricity to power the car. The size of the fuel cell determines the amount of energy stored and the vehicle's power.
While hydrogen fuel cell cars are a promising technology, with the potential to be ecologically sustainable and zero-emission, the development of fuelling stations and infrastructure is crucial to their success.
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Frequently asked questions
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. It is produced by passing it through the anode, where it is split into electrons and protons. The electrons flow through an external circuit to produce electricity, while the protons move through a membrane to the cathode. At the cathode, electrons, protons, and oxygen from the air combine to form water.
Fuel cell cars are powered by compressed hydrogen gas that is fed into an onboard fuel cell stack. This transforms the fuel's chemical energy into electrical energy, powering the car's electric motors.
Fuel cell cars are quiet, energy-efficient, produce no emissions, and have a similar range and performance to gasoline cars. They also do not suffer from the charging time problem that EVs have and can be refuelled in around five minutes.
