What are Hydrogen Fuel Cells Vehicles?
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are at the frontier of modern carbon-zero emissions technology. These vehicles do not produce any greenhouse gases and are powered by the most abundant resource in the universe through fuel cell technology.
Hydrogen accounts for 75% of the world’s mass. This makes it a very attractive fuel source as it can be extracted from a wide variety of waste materials as well as produced cleanly through renewable energy such as solar or wind power.
How Does a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Work?
Hydrogen can be used to power vehicles using fuel cell technology. This method is the leading solution for replacing carbon-based cars as western governments set their sights on net-zero targets.
The hydrogen fuel cell works by combining hydrogen and oxygen which creates a chemical reaction. The energy generated from this reaction is used to generate electricity to power the vehicle. The only by-product of this process is water. As this is a 100% emissions-free model, hydrogen fuel cells are considered to be the vehicle of the future for both personal and commercial use.
The Key Benefits of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles
- Zero Carbon Emissions: Hydrogen does not contain any carbon, so the chemical reaction used to power vehicles through a hydrogen fuel cell does not produce any carbon. The only by-product is minuscule amounts of water vapour.
- They are Quiet: Much like electric cars, hydrogen fuel cell cars are quiet. This is especially important in big cities where vehicles are the leading contributor to noise pollution.
- A Longer Driving Range: Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have a much longer driving range than electric cars. Electric cars can only travel around 270km before needing to be charged. Petrol cars can travel around 400-600km before needing to be refuelled. A hydrogen fuel cell vehicle can travel 750km before needing to be refuelled.
- Quick and Easy To Refuel: Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles do not take any longer to refuel than petrol or diesel vehicles. On average it takes 3-5 minutes to refuel a hydrogen vehicle, while an electric car takes 30 minutes to 12 hours to recharge.
- Hydrogen is Abundant: Hydrogen is plentiful, and it is not limited to countries with fossil fuel stores. The fuel source can be produced by any country.
- A Growing Sector: The range of hydrogen cars is steadily growing every day as more and more companies begin to invest in the technology. The industry is forecasted to reach a valuation of US$46.89 billion by 2028.
- Cleanest Vehicle on the Market: While both hydrogen and electric vehicles emit zero emissions, electric cars are often recharged through greenhouse gas-producing energy sources.
