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We all have heard of Electric vehicles and Hybrid vehicles and we also know these automobiles are increasingly becoming popular as they are considered to be environmentally friendly…
In this Blog, let us discuss about Hydrogen-powered automobiles, also called hydrogen fuel cell vehicles which are the new rage, and understand how they provide a promising solution for sustainable transportation.
Technology for Hydrogen-powered automobiles
Here are some of the major components of such cars…
- Hydrogen storage: Hydrogen is stored in high-pressure tanks that are lightweight yet strong enough to withstand the high pressures required to store hydrogen gas.
- Fuel Cell Stack: this is the core component containing a number of individual fuel cells where an electro-mechanical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen occurs. Each fuel cell consists of an anode (positive electrode), a cathode (negative electrode), and an electrolyte membrane.
- Electromechanical reaction: hydrogen is fed into the anode, where it is split into protons and electrons by a catalyst (usually platinum). Then, the protons pass through the electrolyte membrane to the cathode, while the electrons flow through an external circuit, creating an electric current to power the electric motor. At the cathode, protons, electrons, and oxygen from the air combine to produce water (H2O, as we know) and heat as by-products.
- Electric motor: once powered, the motor of course drives the car wheels!
Sounds quite innovative, right? 😊
Understanding Tesla’s Unique Business Model
Let us next analyze some of the Advantages and Disadvantages of these hydrogen-powered automobiles…
Advantages
Zero tailpipe emissions: this is cool, since the only by-product is water vapor, making these cars environment-friendly as compared to the regular internal combustion engine vehicles!
Efficiency: the fuel cells used are more efficient than internal combustion engines in converting fuel to usable energy.
Re-fueling time: takes about 4-5 minutes for hydrogen vehicles, similar to petrol cars, and is much quicker than the longer charging time for battery electric vehicles (EVs).
Diversity of fuel: hydrogen can be produced from various sources which include natural gas, water (using electrolysis), as well as renewable sources like solar and wind power.
Range: Hydrogen cars have a comparatively longer driving range than EVs, making them more suitable for long-distance travel.
Disadvantages
Infrastructure: Hydrogen re-fueling infrastructure is currently limited in most cities compared to other vehicles.
Production & Distribution: Producing hydrogen from non-renewable sources is energy-intensive and produces greenhouse gases. Sustainable methods are still being developed and scaled up. Moreover, transporting and storing hydrogen is challenging given its low density and the need for high-pressure containment.
Costs: Currently, hydrogen fuel cells and storage systems are more expensive than battery technologies.
Energy efficiency: The overall efficiency of hydrogen vehicles can be lower than EVs given the energy losses at each stage- producing compressing, transporting, and finally converting hydrogen back into electricity.
Materials and durability: Fuel cells rely on expensive materials as catalysts (platinum, for example) and this can hike up costs. Also, the durability and longevity of fuel cells are areas that require further improvements.
Conclusion
Given all the promising positives and negatives related to Hydrogen-Powered Automobiles, it will indeed be interesting to observe how these automobiles progress in the coming years in terms of better technology and overall cost of adoption…
