Over a decade has passed since the first commercial hydrogen car made its debut in 2013, and while the term ‘hydrogen car’ may ring a bell for many, spotting these vehicles on the road remains a rarity. Despite the considerable passage of time, the widespread adoption of hydrogen cars appears to be lagging behind their electric counterparts. The question that persists is whether hydrogen cars have the potential to emerge from the shadows and become a formidable contender in the realm of sustainable transportation. In this post, we’ll delve into the journey of hydrogen cars, examine their current status, and ponder whether they can indeed offer a compelling alternative to electric vehicles. Is it a worthwhile investment in the automotive future, or are electric cars destined to maintain their lead in the green transportation race?
How does a hydrogen car work?
Unlike conventional vehicles reliant on fossil fuels, these innovative cars operate using a fascinating process that harnesses the power of hydrogen. Instead of gasoline or diesel, hydrogen cars use a fuel cell—a bit like a mini power plant—where hydrogen reacts with oxygen from the air to generate electricity. This electricity then powers the car’s motor, propelling it forward. What’s remarkable is that the only byproduct of this process is water vapor, making hydrogen cars not just eco-friendly but also promising in the fight against pollution. The second way is by directly injecting hydrogen gas into an engine. However, this method is not commonly used.
Is it a better alternative than an electric vehicle?
There are many advantages and disadvantages to each technology and I could write endlessly about them, but in my opinion, at the moment electric cars are much better than hydrogen cars, however in the future hydrogen cars will take over the roads. For example, in Poland we have only 3 hydrogen fuel stations and also there are no more than 200 cars on polish roads. If we want to compare it there are more than 1000 electric car charging station and about 50 000 electric cars, therefore it is much more convenient to use electric cars. However, the hydrogen car does have its advantages such as we are able to refuel it much quicker than recharging an electric car. Also Volkswagen has announced that they are working on a new technology related to the hydrogen fuel cell, which is cheaper to produce and will give cars a range up to 2000 kilometres.
What about the future?
At the moment, although there is hardly any hydrogen-related infrastructure, there are plans to build several hundred stations across Poland. As technology advances, I think that the price of hydrogen at the stations will also constantly drop and it will be much easier to produce. As I wrote previously, they are constantly developing technology to use hydrogen to produce energy, which can give cars a huge range. I believe that hydrogen cars will be our main means of transport and that it will conquer other industries and be used in transport, shipping and aviation, giving us the opportunity to reduce pollution significantly. However, it seems to me that this will not be a quick change and it will take several decades, but it is much better option than electric cars mainly because of the need for a lot of energy to charge them (e.g. as if everyone had an electric car and had to charge it – at the moment, we do not have the infrastructure for this.), the durability of their batteries, their later disposal and batteries production, which produces a lot of CO2.
Bibliography
- https://hydrogen-central.com/new-hydrogen-car-travels-2000-kilometers-single-tank/
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/1412010/poland-hydrogen-passenger-cars/
- https://www.eska.pl/motoryzacja/najpopularniejsze-samochody-w-polsce-w-2023-roku-polacy-maja-ulubiona-marke-aa-tuRp-5WBo-6Uef.html
- https://www.renaultgroup.com/en/news-on-air/news/electric-cars-vs-hydrogen-cars-whats-the-difference/
- https://www.motocaina.pl/artykul/stacje-wodorowe-w-polsce-468038.html
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