Ameer Randolph
Filling up a fuel cell car is a simple process that is not too dissimilar to fuelling a traditional gas car. Fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) are often powered by hydrogen gas, which is converted into electricity to power the vehicle. Hydrogen fuelling stations are becoming increasingly common, with California, New York, and Washington, D.C. leading the way. The process involves removing the dust cap, inserting your credit card, and waiting for approval. Once approved, you attach the nozzle, and the infrared technology communicates with the car to determine how much fuel is needed. The process takes around five minutes, similar to fuelling a gasoline car.
Filling up a fuel cell car
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Filling up a fuel cell car is not much different from filling up a standard car with gas. |
| Time taken | It takes roughly five minutes or less to refuel a full tank of hydrogen. |
| Fueling options | Battery-electric vehicles never need gas, and for short trips, plug-in hybrids might use no gas. |
| Fueling locations | Hydrogen fueling stations are located at existing gas stations, with similar dispensers but different nozzles and hoses. |
| Fueling process | After inserting your credit card, wait for the machine to be ready. Pick up the nozzle, pull back on the collar, insert and tug, then push your grade. The nozzle will communicate with the car to determine how much fuel is needed. |
| Fuel cost | The current price of hydrogen gas is between $13-$16/kilogram (kg). |
| Fuel efficiency | Fuel cells are more than twice as efficient as internal combustion engines, so you need half the amount of hydrogen to go twice as far. |
| Fuel storage | Hydrogen is stored in high-pressure tanks, typically holding roughly 5 kg of compressed hydrogen at up to 10,000 pounds per square inch of pressure. |
| Fuel gauge | Just like gasoline cars, fuel cell cars have a fuel gauge that tells you when you're low on fuel. |
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What You'll Learn
- Filling up a fuel cell car is similar to fuelling a gas car
- Hydrogen fueling stations are often located at existing gas stations
- Hydrogen fuel nozzles lock on to the fuel receptacle before fueling begins
- Hydrogen fuel is stored in high-pressure tanks
- Hydrogen fueling stations are expanding across the US
Filling up a fuel cell car is similar to fuelling a gas car
Next, you will need to take off the dust cap, and insert your credit card into the machine, which will look like a regular fuel pump. After your card is approved, the machine will tell you it is ready to fill. You then pick up the nozzle, pull back on the blue collar, and insert it into your car, giving it a little tug to make sure it is connected. This is similar to a gas car, where you would insert the nozzle into your fuel tank.
Once the nozzle is connected, you push your grade, and the nozzle will speak to your car, telling it how much fuel it needs, and it will begin fuelling. This is similar to a gas car, where you would choose your fuel grade, and then start releasing the gas from the nozzle by pulling the trigger.
The refuelling process for a fuel cell car takes about five minutes, which is very similar to the time it takes to fuel a gas car.
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Hydrogen fueling stations are often located at existing gas stations
Filling up a fuel cell car is not much different from filling up a gas car. The process is equally simple, quick, and convenient. Hydrogen fueling stations are often located at existing gas stations, making the adoption of fuel cell cars more convenient for consumers. This is because building hydrogen fueling infrastructure can be expensive, and locating hydrogen dispensers at existing gas stations helps stabilize and expand the market for hydrogen fuel.
As of 2024, there were 54 retail hydrogen fueling stations in the United States, with over 20 more in various stages of planning or construction. Most of these stations are in California, with one in Hawaii, and the number is expected to increase as consumer demand grows. The increased number of retail hydrogen fueling locations is supporting the rollout of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) by manufacturers such as Hyundai and Toyota.
In California, hydrogen fuel is being added to existing gasoline stations, particularly in northern California near San Francisco and southern California near Los Angeles and San Diego. Mobile hydrogen fuelers, which store liquefied or compressed hydrogen and dispensing equipment onboard a trailer, are also being developed to support the expansion of hydrogen infrastructure. This allows early FCEV adopters to have confidence that they can access hydrogen fuel wherever they go within these regions.
The process of fueling a fuel cell car is similar to that of a traditional gas car. The hydrogen fuel nozzle locks onto the fuel receptacle, and it takes roughly five minutes or less to refuel a full tank of hydrogen, just like a gasoline tank. The fuel cell is more than twice as efficient as an internal combustion engine, so you need half the amount of hydrogen to go twice as far.
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Hydrogen fuel nozzles lock on to the fuel receptacle before fueling begins
Filling up a fuel cell car with hydrogen is a relatively quick and safe process. It takes about five minutes to refuel a full tank of hydrogen, which is similar to the time taken to fill a gasoline tank. The process is also similar to refuelling a conventional internal combustion engine vehicle.
Firstly, you need to locate a hydrogen fuelling station. Once you pull up, the process is much like refuelling a regular car. You put your vehicle in park and turn it off. Then, you open the fuel filler door. Next, you take off the dust cap and go to the machine, which looks like a regular fuel pump. You insert your credit card and wait for approval.
Once the machine is ready, you pick up the nozzle, pull back on the blue collar, and insert it into the fuel receptacle, giving it a little tug to make sure it is connected. The hydrogen fuel nozzle will then lock on to the fuel receptacle before fuelling begins. The nozzle also has infrared functionality that communicates with the car, telling it how much fuel is needed.
After fuelling is complete, you can pull out the nozzle, put the dust cap back on, and close the door.
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Hydrogen fuel is stored in high-pressure tanks
Filling up a fuel cell car is not much different from filling up a standard car with gas. The process is quite simple, quick, and easy. However, the hydrogen fuel is stored in the car in a very different way. Hydrogen fuel is stored in high-pressure, thick-walled, carbon-fiber-reinforced tanks. These tanks are designed to keep the hydrogen in a gaseous form and are considered very safe. The tanks have been tested in numerous crash tests, which have proven their safety and durability.
The hydrogen fuel tank is an essential component of a fuel cell car. The tank stores the hydrogen gas onboard the vehicle until it is needed by the fuel cell. The amount of energy stored in the vehicle is determined by the size of the hydrogen fuel tank. This is in contrast to all-electric vehicles, where the amount of power and energy are closely related to the battery size. The fuel cell stack then uses hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity and power the electric motor.
Due to its low energy volume, most automakers use high-pressure tanks that typically hold around 5 kg of compressed hydrogen at up to 10,000 pounds per square inch of pressure. The pressure in the tank is measured in megapascals (MPa), with newer refueling stations offering 70 MPa and older stations offering 35 MPa, primarily for larger vehicles with bigger tanks, such as buses.
The hydrogen fueling infrastructure is constantly being expanded worldwide, with an increasing number of hydrogen stations in development. This expansion is driven by initiatives such as the Clean Energy Partnership and H2 MOBILITY, which aim to make hydrogen fueling more accessible. As a result, filling up your fuel cell car at a hydrogen fueling station should be as convenient as fueling a standard car.
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Hydrogen fueling stations are expanding across the US
The process of refueling an FCV is quite similar to refueling a conventional internal combustion engine vehicle with gasoline. After parking your vehicle and turning it off, you open the fuel filler door. At the pump, you remove the dust cap, insert your credit card, and wait for approval. Once approved, you pick up the nozzle, pull back on the blue collar, insert and tug to ensure a connection, then push your grade. The nozzle uses infrared to communicate with the car, determining how much fuel is needed. The fueling process takes around five minutes, and the cost is approximately $13 to $16 per kilogram, equivalent to two gallons of fuel.
Hydrogen refilling stations receive compressed hydrogen gas from a storage tank, typically delivered via tube trailers (mobile tanks transported by truck) or pipelines. The gas is stored in a high-pressure storage tank until it is transferred to the refilling station's storage tank. As the market expands, hydrogen fueling stations will be matched with vehicle rollouts, and customers can expect a similar experience to refueling at gasoline stations.
The expansion of hydrogen fueling infrastructure is being incentivized by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which provides a tax credit of up to $3 per kilogram of hydrogen. This initiative aims to stabilize and expand the market for hydrogen producers and enable the adoption of hydrogen vehicles by fleets and the public. With these efforts, the US is taking significant steps toward the widespread adoption of hydrogen fuel cell technology and a transition to green energy.
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Frequently asked questions
Filling up a fuel cell car is not too different from filling up a gas car. First, take off your dust cap. Then, insert your credit card into the machine and wait for approval. Once approved, pick up the nozzle and pull back on the blue collar so it passes the yellow stripe. Insert the nozzle and push your grade. The nozzle will communicate with the car to determine how much fuel is needed and will begin fueling.
It takes roughly five minutes or less to refuel a full tank of hydrogen—about the same as a gasoline tank.
Just like in gasoline cars, there is a fuel gauge that tells you when you’re low on fuel.
Hydrogen fueling stations are often located at existing gas stations, but they are not as common as gas stations. California, New York, and Washington, D.C. have several hydrogen fueling stations, and other states are developing them.
