In our series of electric car mythbusters, we have addressed concerns about car fires, battery extraction, range anxiety, financial worries, and carbon footprint. Many critics of electric cars argue that we shouldn’t abandon internal combustion engines. This article raises the question: can hydrogen provide a third way and take control of batteries?
One of the biggest proponents of hydrogen in the automotive industry is Akio Toyoda, the CEO of Toyota. Last month, he stated that he believes electric cars will reach a peak of 30% market share, with hydrogen and internal combustion engines making up the rest. The Toyota Mirai is one of the few widely available hydrogen-powered cars, alongside the Hyundai Nexo SUV from South Korea. Oliver Zipse, the CEO of German manufacturer BMW, said last year, “Hydrogen is the final piece of the puzzle when it comes to zero-emission mobility.” BMW may be investing heavily in battery technology, but they are also testing a BMW iX5 car with hydrogen fuel cells – using Toyota’s fuel cell technology. Zipse added, “One technology alone is not enough to enable climate neutrality worldwide.”
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, but that doesn’t mean it is easily accessible on Earth. Currently, most hydrogen is produced through the breakdown of methane from coal, which leads to carbon dioxide emissions. “Green hydrogen” is generated through electrolysis: clean electrical energy splits water into hydrogen and oxygen.
Hydrogen can be burned as fuel or used in fuel cells: in the presence of a catalyst (often made of expensive platinum), hydrogen reacts with oxygen from the air. This results in the flow of electrons, which can pass through an electrical circuit, charge the battery, and power the electric motor.
According to Jean-Michel Billig, the Technical Director for Fuel Cell Vehicle Development at Stellantis, hydrogen offers four-minute refueling, greater payload capacity, and longer range. Stellantis began production of hydrogen vans in France and Poland last month, targeting companies that require continuously operational vehicles and don’t want to waste time on charging.
However, many energy experts do not share the enthusiasm of hydrogen fuel cell vehicle manufacturers. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, refers to the technology as “fool cells”: why use clean electrical energy to produce hydrogen when it can be used to power the vehicle directly? Every energy transformation involves heat loss, so hydrogen fuels provide less energy to the vehicle. David Cebon, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Cambridge, said, “If you use green hydrogen, it takes about three times as much electrical energy to produce the hydrogen to power the car than to charge the battery.”
Michael Liebreich, Chairman of Liebreich Associates and founder of analytical firm Bloomberg New Energy Finance, created the influential “hydrogen ladder” – a ranking of hydrogen usage based on the availability of cheaper and easier options. He placed hydrogen cars in the “doom row,” with very little chance even for a niche market. Can hydrogen take control of car batteries? “The answer is no,” said Liebreich without hesitation. He considered car manufacturers who rely heavily on hydrogen as “simply mistaken” and destined for costly disappointment.
The key issue with hydrogen cars is not the fuel cells themselves, but the proper delivery of clean hydrogen to where it is needed. Hydrogen is highly flammable, with associated safety risks, and needs to be stored at high pressure, making leaks an easy possibility. It also has lower energy density than fossil fuels, requiring significantly more tanks unless on-site electrolyzers are used.
Investments in hydrogen infrastructure are supported by governments in the United States and Europe. However, a chicken-and-egg problem has emerged: buyers don’t want hydrogen cars because they can’t fill them, and there are no filling stations because there are no cars. According to the European Hydrogen Observatory, Europe has 178 hydrogen filling stations, with half of them in Germany. In comparison, the UK has 8,300 petrol stations or 31,000 public charging points (excluding home outlets).
Are there any reservations? Why does the International Energy Agency project that hydrogen will account for 16% of road transport in 2050 in terms of achieving zero emissions? The answer lies mainly in larger vehicles such as buses and trucks.
Liebreich was convinced that batteries still dominate the energy delivery for trucks – to the extent that he co-founded a company focused on charging heavy-duty vehicles. “Some hydrogen cars might find a place in trucks, but they’ll be niches,” he said.
Even Toyota admits that hydrogen cars have not yet achieved “greater success,” primarily due to the lack of fuel availability, as acknowledged by Hiroki Nakajima, the head of Toyota’s technical division, in an interview with Autocar in October. Trucks and long-haul buses offer a better hope for the technology, although Toyota also prototypes a hydrogen-powered version of its commercial Hilux.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hydrogen Cars:
1. Can hydrogen replace batteries as the preferred technology for zero-emission vehicles?
2. What cars are powered by hydrogen?
3. What are the benefits of using hydrogen cars?
4. What are the disadvantages of hydrogen cars?
5. How is “green hydrogen” produced?
6. How do hydrogen fuel cell technologies work?
7. What is the availability of hydrogen filling stations?
8. What are the prospects for the future development of hydrogen cars?
9. Do hydrogen cars have an advantage among larger vehicles like trucks and buses?
10. What do experts think about hydrogen cars?
Key Term Definitions and Jargon:
1. Hydrogen – the lightest element, a gas that, when reacting with oxygen, produces only water and releases energy.
2. Fuel cells – devices in which hydrogen and oxygen react, generating electrical energy.
3. Electrolysis – the process of splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using electrical current.
4. Green hydrogen – hydrogen produced through electrolysis using clean electrical energy, generating no carbon dioxide emissions.
5. Carbon dioxide emissions – the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect.
Suggested Related Links:
1. Toyota Hydrogen Cars
2. BMW Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles
3. Hyundai Nexo – Hydrogen-Powered SUV
4. Tesla Electric Cars
5. Bloomberg New Energy Finance
Read more at H2 Hydrogen Revolution