Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars: Technology and Future Prospects

Hydrogen Fueled Cars

In the early 2000s, hydrogen-powered fuel cell cars emerged as an alternative to both electric and combustion engine vehicles. They were seen as a path towards universal green motoring. Hydrogen fuel cell cars use a propulsion system similar to electric vehicles, where energy stored as hydrogen is converted to electricity by the fuel cell. Unlike conventional internal combustion engine vehicles, these vehicles produce no harmful tailpipe emissions, only emitting water vapor and warm air.

Fuel Cell Technology

The most common type of fuel cell for vehicle applications is the polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell. In this technology, an electrolyte membrane is sandwiched between a positive electrode (cathode) and a negative electrode (anode). When hydrogen is introduced to the anode and oxygen (from air) is introduced to the cathode, the hydrogen molecules break apart into protons and electrons due to an electrochemical reaction in the fuel cell catalyst. Protons then travel through the membrane to the cathode. Electrons are forced to travel through an external circuit to perform work (providing power to the electric car), then recombine with the protons on the cathode side where the protons, electrons, and oxygen molecules combine to form water.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Hydrogen fuel cell cars have several advantages over other types of vehicles. They are more efficient and produce no harmful tailpipe emissions. Additionally, they have a driving range comparable to gasoline counterparts, with major automobile manufacturers offering a limited but growing number of production fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). However, hydrogen cars face challenges such as the lack of infrastructure for refueling and the high cost of producing clean hydrogen.

Environmental Impact

While hydrogen itself is considered a green energy source when produced from renewable sources like solar or wind power, most of today's hydrogen is extracted from natural gas, which produces carbon dioxide as a byproduct. Efforts are being made towards transitioning to "green" hydrogen, produced through electrolysis using excess electricity from renewable sources.

Future Prospects

The future of hydrogen fuel cell cars depends on several factors. If the costs of producing cleaner forms of hydrogen continue to decrease, hydrogen could become a viable alternative fuel for heavy-duty transportation, such as long-haul trucks. Changes in the EV market, particularly regarding battery prices and supply chain issues, might also influence the demand for hydrogen fuel cell cars.

Current Market Status

Despite early promise, hydrogen fuel cell cars have largely disappeared from the market. Toyota and Hyundai, two companies that produced hydrogen cars for the UK market, sold just 12 hydrogen cars in the country in 2021. The infrastructure necessary for a European hydrogen distribution system is estimated to cost €80-€143 billion, but governments and businesses are currently unwilling to make the required investments due to low demand and economic considerations.