Table of Contents
Why are hydrogen fuel cells not commonly used?
From the point of view of a filling station owner, adding hydrogen facilities is not economically viable and potentially too dangerous; this contributes to the low production numbers. The lack of ‘push’ from legislators further hinders the progress of the hydrogen fuel cell car.
Is hydrogen fuel cell viable?
For trucks and buses, the combination of hydrogen fuel with fuel cells is an increasingly viable alternative. The main reason for this is the high energy density of hydrogen which is up to 120 MJ per kg compared to gasoline (45 MJ per kg).
Why are hydrogen fuel cells better than rechargeable cells?
Hydrogen used in fuel cells has the energy to weight ratio ten times greater than lithium-ion batteries. Consequently, it offers much greater range while being lighter and occupying smaller volumes. It can also be recharged in a few minutes, similarly to gasoline vehicles.
What is the difference between hydrogen and lithium-ion batteries?
First, hydrogen is clean energy that doesn’t put out any emissions. Second, hydrogen has more “energy density” than a typical lithium-ion battery in an electric vehicle. That means we can get more energy per unit of hydrogen than we can from an equivalent unit of energy from lithium-ion batteries. But there’s just one problem.
Are hydrogen fuel cell vehicles a viable option for everyday use?
So there are some choices available, and these vehicles are all quite viable for everyday usage, with the Mirai offering a range of 312 miles on a tank, and the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell managing a very healthy 366 miles. So why haven’t hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) taken off in the same way as BEVs, considering their convenience?
Should you switch to hydrogen batteries right now?
Lithium-ion batteries are so well established and continue to improve in energy density incrementally, year after year. They’ve continued to fall in price as well. It is very hard to make an argument to switch to hydrogen right now.
Why are hydrogen vehicles so expensive?
Hydrogen in vehicles must be compressed in expensive high-pressure tanks, which requires — you guessed it — energy. Current hydrogen vehicles use fuel cells to convert the chemical energy to power. Fuel cells are very costly because they are complex and require expensive materials such as platinum.