Mercedes Mullins
Hydrogen fuel cells have been used in space exploration since the 1960s, but their application in cars is still limited. Hydrogen is a clean fuel that, when consumed in a fuel cell, produces only water. Hydrogen fuel cells are also more efficient than internal combustion engines that run on gasoline. However, hydrogen fuel cells are most suitable for a steady power output, which is not ideal for cars that require varying power demands. Additionally, the infrastructure for supplying hydrogen to retail outlets is still lacking, and there are challenges in transporting and distributing hydrogen. The high cost of fuel cells and the limited availability of hydrogen fueling stations have also hindered the widespread adoption of hydrogen-fueled vehicles.
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What You'll Learn
- Hydrogen fuel cells are happiest at a steady power output, making them unsuitable for cars that require varying power demands
- Hydrogen is challenging to transport to refuelling stations due to the need for specialised pipelines or energy-intensive liquefaction
- Hydrogen fuelling infrastructure is currently limited, with a thin supply network that is vulnerable to disruptions
- Hydrogen fuel cells are expensive, and the limited availability of fuelling stations discourages wider adoption
- Hydrogen is not a fuel source but an energy carrier, produced from other energy sources such as natural gas or renewable power
Hydrogen fuel cells are happiest at a steady power output, making them unsuitable for cars that require varying power demands
Hydrogen fuel cells are most efficient when producing a steady power output. This makes them less suitable for cars, which require varying levels of power depending on driving conditions. For example, a car travelling at a steady speed on a flat road will require far less power than one accelerating to merge with fast-moving traffic on a highway.
The power demands of the average car can vary significantly. A vehicle may need as little as 15 kilowatts (20 horsepower) to maintain a constant speed on a flat road, but up to 10 or 20 times that amount to accelerate to 60 mph or higher. Hydrogen fuel cells can struggle to meet these varying power demands, especially when it comes to producing the higher levels of power required for acceleration.
The Toyota Mirai, the best-selling hydrogen car in the US, has a fuel cell rated at 90 kW (120 horsepower). While this is sufficient for cruising at a steady speed, it is not enough to accelerate onto a fast-moving highway. To compensate for this, Toyota and other hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (HFCV) manufacturers add a high-voltage, low-capacity battery to their vehicles, similar to those used in conventional electric cars.
The challenge of meeting varying power demands is not unique to hydrogen fuel cells, and electric cars with large, heavy batteries also face limitations in this regard. However, the infrastructure for supplying hydrogen to retail outlets is currently very limited, and the process of refuelling hydrogen vehicles can be more complex and time-consuming than refuelling traditional petrol or diesel vehicles. These factors, combined with the challenge of meeting varying power demands, contribute to the limited adoption of hydrogen fuel cells in cars.
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Hydrogen is challenging to transport to refuelling stations due to the need for specialised pipelines or energy-intensive liquefaction
Hydrogen is a promising alternative fuel for vehicles, offering zero emissions and increased efficiency compared to traditional combustion engines. However, one significant challenge to its widespread adoption is the difficulty of transporting it to refuelling stations. This is due to the requirement for specialised infrastructure, such as pipelines or the need for energy-intensive liquefaction processes.
Currently, there are only around 60 hydrogen fuelling stations in the United States, and they are all located in California. This limited infrastructure poses a challenge for hydrogen-powered vehicle owners, who may need to travel long distances to reach a fuelling station. The situation is similar in other parts of the world, with a sparse network of hydrogen pipelines in place.
The issue with pipelines is that those designed for methane and natural gas are not fully compatible with hydrogen unless natural gas-hydrogen mixtures with low hydrogen content are used. Constructing dedicated hydrogen pipelines would be costly and time-consuming, hindering the widespread adoption of hydrogen fuel.
An alternative method of transporting hydrogen to refuelling stations is to carry it in a liquid state, similar to how oil derivatives are transported. However, this method also presents challenges. Hydrogen must be cooled to an extremely low temperature of -253 degrees Celsius to reach a liquid state, requiring a significant amount of energy. The process of liquefying hydrogen and maintaining it in this state is energy-intensive and costly, impacting the feasibility of this transportation method.
The transportation and distribution challenges associated with hydrogen fuel contribute to the limited availability of hydrogen fuelling stations. This, in turn, affects the production and adoption of hydrogen-powered vehicles. Consumers are hesitant to purchase hydrogen-fuelled vehicles if refuelling stations are not readily accessible, and companies are reluctant to invest in building more stations without a significant customer base. As a result, the development of hydrogen-powered vehicles and the necessary infrastructure faces a chicken-and-egg dilemma.
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Hydrogen fuelling infrastructure is currently limited, with a thin supply network that is vulnerable to disruptions
The limited number of hydrogen fuelling stations is a significant challenge. In the United States, for example, there are about 60 hydrogen vehicle fuelling stations, and they are all located in California. This concentration in a single state highlights the uneven distribution and limited accessibility of these stations for many potential hydrogen vehicle owners across the country. The situation is similar in other parts of the world, with only a few thousand kilometres of hydrogen pipelines globally.
The transport and distribution of hydrogen pose additional complications. Special pipelines are required, as those intended for methane and natural gas are not fully compatible with hydrogen. Transporting hydrogen in its liquid state, similar to oil derivatives, is possible but highly energy-intensive, as hydrogen must be kept at an extremely low temperature of -253 degrees Celsius. As a result, hydrogen is often produced in the same place where it is used, which can restrict its availability for fuelling vehicles.
The current limitations in the hydrogen fuelling infrastructure create a catch-22 situation for the wider adoption of hydrogen-fuelled vehicles. Consumers are hesitant to purchase hydrogen-fuelled vehicles due to the scarcity of refuelling stations, and companies are reluctant to invest in building more stations without a significant customer base for hydrogen-fuelled vehicles. This dynamic has hindered the expansion of the hydrogen fuelling network and, by extension, the proliferation of hydrogen-fuelled cars on the road.
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Hydrogen fuel cells are expensive, and the limited availability of fuelling stations discourages wider adoption
Hydrogen fuel cells are an expensive technology, and the limited availability of fuelling stations discourages wider adoption. Hydrogen fuel cells are costly to produce, and the high cost of fuel cells is a significant factor in the limited production of hydrogen-fuelled vehicles. Hydrogen fuelling stations are few and far between, and consumers are reluctant to purchase hydrogen-fuelled vehicles if they cannot easily access refuelling facilities. This creates a catch-22 situation, as companies are unwilling to invest in building more fuelling stations without a customer base.
The infrastructure for supplying hydrogen to retail outlets is a significant challenge. For example, in 2019, an explosion in the San Francisco Bay Area cut off the supply to nine of the eleven local hydrogen stations, causing significant disruption to drivers. The thin supply infrastructure means that fuelling stations can only service a small number of vehicles before they need to go offline to repressurise.
The transport of hydrogen to fuelling stations is also a challenge. Special pipelines are required to distribute hydrogen, and the existing infrastructure for natural gas and methane is not fully compatible. The alternative is to transport hydrogen in its liquid state, but this requires extremely low temperatures of -253 degrees Celsius and a heavy energy expenditure to maintain it. Hydrogen is often produced in the same place as it is used, and there are very few hydrogen pipelines worldwide.
Despite these challenges, hydrogen fuel cells have several advantages as an alternative vehicle fuel. Hydrogen is a clean fuel, and when consumed in a fuel cell, it produces only water. Hydrogen fuel cells are also highly efficient, with 80% of the energy used to power the vehicle, compared to only 20-25% for traditional combustion engines. Hydrogen can be produced from a variety of domestic resources, including natural gas, nuclear power, biomass, and renewable power like solar and wind. Hydrogen fuel cells have been used successfully in space exploration since the 1960s and have the potential to power zero-emission vehicles.
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Hydrogen is not a fuel source but an energy carrier, produced from other energy sources such as natural gas or renewable power
Hydrogen is an energy carrier, not a fuel source. It can be used to store, move, and deliver energy that is produced from other sources. Hydrogen is produced from a variety of domestic resources, such as natural gas, nuclear power, biomass, and renewable power like solar and wind. The most common methods of hydrogen production today are natural gas reforming and electrolysis.
Hydrogen is a clean fuel that, when consumed in a fuel cell, produces only water. It has a very high energy density, with 1 kg of hydrogen releasing 4.1 times more energy than 1 kg of coal, 2.8 times more than 1 kg of petrol, and 2.4 times more than 1 kg of natural gas. This makes it an attractive fuel option for transportation and electricity generation applications.
However, hydrogen has a very low energy volume, which means new technology is needed to store and transport it. As a result, fuel cell technology is still in the early stages of development, and improvements in efficiency and durability are needed. Additionally, the infrastructure for supplying hydrogen to retail outlets is currently limited.
Hydrogen fuel cells are most suitable for a steady power output, which makes them ideal for backup power use. However, the power demands in an average car vary significantly, which is a challenge for automotive engineers. Hydrogen-powered vehicles are often classified as fuel-cell hybrid electric vehicles (FCHEV) because they use a similar electric motor to battery-electric cars but are powered by a fuel-cell stack.
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Frequently asked questions
Hydrogen is used as a fuel in cars, but it is not common. Hydrogen is a clean fuel that, when consumed in a fuel cell, produces only water. Hydrogen fuel cells are happiest at a steady power output, which is not ideal for cars that require varying power demands. Hydrogen cars also face challenges with refuelling infrastructure, as well as the transport of hydrogen to refuelling stations.
A hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle uses an electric motor to turn the wheels, similar to a battery-electric car. However, instead of a large, heavy battery, it is powered by a fuel-cell stack where pure hydrogen passes through a membrane to combine with oxygen from the air, producing electricity and water vapour.
The pros of hydrogen fuel in cars include the fact that it is a non-polluting fuel, and it can be produced from a variety of domestic resources such as natural gas, nuclear power, biomass, and renewable power. Hydrogen fuel cells are also two to three times more efficient than internal combustion engines. However, the cons include the high cost of fuel cells, limited refuelling infrastructure, and the challenge of varying power demands in cars.
