You thinking charging an EV is bad? Try filling a hydrogen- ...

Link to CIMC ENRIC

James Riswick

AGOURA HILLS, Calif. &#; You think the country&#;s electric charging infrastructure is bad? Try owning a hydrogen-powered car!

Chances are, you live in a place where that isn&#;t even possible, but here in California, there are indeed hydrogen filling stations dotted throughout the major metropolitan areas and, as such, cars for sale or lease that utilize hydrogen fuel cells. OK, so there&#;s presently just two, the Toyota Mirai and Hyundai Nexo, but the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell had been available up until .

I got a chance to drive the Clarity on its press launch along with the first-generation Mirai (best known for frightening all who gazed upon it), but as I spent five of the last six years in Portland, Ore., and therefore outside the hydrogen infrastructure, I had not had a chance to spend a typical week-long press loan with a fuel-cell car. And I still haven&#;t, but we&#;ll get to that.

The current-generation Toyota Mirai dates back to model year , and as anyone with functioning vision can attest, is as radical a visual departure as you can get. What was once a vaguely Prius-like lump of four-seat, front-wheel-drive hideousness emerged from a cocoon to become a long, sleek, five-seat, rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan with plenty of engineering enhancements to go with it.

8

Gallery

8

Images

At this point, it&#;s probably best to explain what exactly a hydrogen fuel cell car is. It&#;s broadly similar in concept to a hybrid powertrain, with an electric motor and battery pack, but with a hydrogen fuel cell instead of an internal combustion engine. The fuel cell itself is technically a collection of multiple cells where hydrogen and oxygen are chemically combined to create the electricity needed to move the car and replenish the battery (much as a Toyota hybrid&#;s engine does). As you might recall from basic chemistry, the byproduct of combining hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O) is water. No smog-causing or climate-changing emissions, just a light mist of H2O spritzing the cars behind you when accelerating. I speak from experience &#; I&#;ve been spritzed on multiple occasions by highway-going Mirais.

For the most part, the Mirai drives like an electric car since the rear-mounted electric motor exclusively propells the wheels. That motor produces 182 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, which isn&#;t that much for a large sedan that weighs 4,335 pounds. That might be less than what an all-electric vehicle of its size would weigh, but acceleration is nevertheless on the pokey side. It has the typical, immediate torque response of an EV or a series-style hybrid like various Hondas, but things really start to hit the wall as speeds increase, say, when accelerating onto the highway. I was stunned to find Motor Trend clocked a Mirai from zero to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds &#; it feels two seconds slower than that.

Besides that, the hydrogen fuel cell only emits an usual whine when being pushed, but there&#;s really nothing weird about driving what is a very weird car. The same can be said beyond the powertrain realm. I drove the Mirai out into the Santa Monica Mountains and it very much behaved like a large Lexus sedan since that&#;s exactly what it is underneath, sharing the same excellent platform as the LS and LC. You can feel the sophistication of the suspension in the way it responds to mid-corner bumps and maintains its composure around turns, but unlike the LC and to a lesser extent, the LS, there is little in the way of engagement present. There&#;s capability without feedback.

With the dynamic portion of the program out of the way, my would-be week with the Mirai transitioned to more mundane matters. Specifically, dropping my wife off at LAX 38 miles away, followed by an additional 20-mile drive to a studio location in Long Beach for a sneak-peak of the Acura TLX and Honda Ridgeline. Do the math, and I&#;d need at least 110 miles to make the journey. Theoretically, this should not have been a problem. Theoretically.

The Mirai has three carbon fiber-reinforced tanks: one behind the rear axle, another in front of it and a third running the length of the center tunnel. By the way, the battery sits above the axle while the fuel cell is up front where an engine would be. Those tanks together hold 11 pounds of hydrogen at 10,000 psi, an amount that takes five minutes to fully refuel. That would be hydrogen&#;s main advantage, besides weight and sourcing battery materials, over an EV. Instead of sitting in a Walmart parking lot for a half-hour (if you&#;re lucky) or living somewhere that has access to a plug or charger, you can pop into a gas station just as you do with a regular engine.

Oh, and one more advantage: cost. Owners of both the Mirai and Hyundai Nexo get $15,000 worth of hydrogen over the course of a three-year lease or six-year ownership period. At the current hydrogen price I spotted at True Zero station ($36 per kilogram), you&#;d theoretically be getting 83 tanks of fuel included.  

OK, so how far does a &#;tank&#; get you? The Mirai Limited trim I drove is good for 357 miles of range with full tanks (the XLE can do 402). So, using basic math, you could theoretically get about 30,000 miles worth of free fuel before it gets $LOL to refill. Certainly, the lease option is the better deal.

Again, though, theoretically. I started my time with the Mirai with only 241 miles. You see, I actually live 4.4 miles and 6 minutes away from the Thousand Oaks True Zero hydrogen refueling station, which was why I felt confident in signing up for a week in the Mirai in the first place. Unfortunately, before the car arrived, the third-party company that handles press car loans informed me that the True Zero station was not functioning. Neither was a different hydrogen station located en route to me in Sherman Oaks. They&#;d have to fill the car near their office, also in Long Beach, and deliver it less than full. It must be said that I should&#;ve had a lot more than just 241 miles of range. According to my algebra, that amount of range should&#;ve been the equivalent of 67% full, but the fuel gauge was barely below full. Clearly, the car wasn&#;t getting anywhere close to whatever fuel economy determines that official range. Or there&#;s something wrong with the fuel gauge. So that&#;s another problem.

Nevertheless, 241 miles is still better than a lot of EVs, and it shouldn&#;t have been an issue for me to do my mountain drive and head on down to LAX and Long Beach where a quick search revealed multiple filling stations, including the one used by the vehicle drop-off folks. Theoretically.

After the LAX drop-off, I made the quick, 1.5-mile drive to a Clean Energy station that has a whole heap of natural gas pumps and one hydrogen pump. Too bad, it had yellow tape on it. OK, so that&#;s now three hydrogen stations along my route out of order. I didn&#;t need to refuel, but I had the time before the studio sneak peak, so what the hell?

Related links:
What Are Curtainside Trailers?

For more information, please visit lng tank container.

The next location I tried, pictured below, was a Shell station entirely dedicated to hydrogen in Torrance, which not coincidentally is the American home of Honda and the former home of Toyota. All four pumps there were cordoned off with yellow tape, their covers pried off, and a work crew doing something to fix the situation. While I parked to see where else I could go, a nice employee of the station and/or Shell was very apologetic and explained that although this station had been running without issue, the past year has seen multiple breakdowns compounded by parts shortages that have made repairs difficult. One might imagine those same issues are impacting all the other stations.

My next attempt was 9 miles away at a single True Zero pump located within a greater Arco and am/pm station (pictured at the top of this page). There was no yellow tape on this one and the screen was lit up, asking me to insert a credit card to begin just as you would at any gasoline pump. As I don&#;t own the car, I&#;d have to pay. How much? Don&#;t know. When I inserted my credit card, absolutely nothing happened. The screen remained exactly the same. I tried another credit card, nothing. I pressed some buttons, nothing. I went inside the am/pm to ask if the True Zero pump was functioning and the employee responded that it&#;s operated by a different company and she has no idea. Strike 5!

I had now seemingly exhausted all the stations along my route, so I called off the search. I could still get back home and there theoretically would&#;ve been enough hydrogen left for the press loan folks to pick it up and take it back to Long Beach. Theoretically. Sure, there could&#;ve been enough hydrogen left, but I would&#;ve kept the car parked for the following four-plus days to ensure that remained the case. I had already performed my test drive, already experienced the car&#;s high-quality but surprisingly cramped interior, already cursed Toyota&#;s new infotainment system for the umpteenth time, and most importantly, experienced what it was like to refuel a hydrogen-powered car. Or rather, discovered that I couldn&#;t. What else was there to discover?

Thankfully for me, I did not actually own this car. As I was already in Long Beach for the studio sneak peak, I arranged to drop off the Mirai at the press loan folks&#; office and trade into literally anything not powered by hydrogen I could also review. (This is what I got, &#;twas a good trade). No more drama or anxiety had to be experienced by myself or the press loan folks.

But what if I actually owned this car? I would&#;ve been freaking out, hoping that the local True Zero would soon be operational again. But if not, then what? As much as naysayers point to the range anxiety of EVs, at least you can plug in to any old electrical outlet and eventually get enough juice at home or to get home. Hydrogen? Ha, good luck with that.

Hopefully, the causes of all five outages, related or not, are ironed out so that actual hydrogen fuel cell owners can use their cars. Indeed, I ventured over to the local True Zero station a few weeks later and it did seem to be working again when I popped my credit card in to start the process. Perhaps this was all just a coincidence, a case of very bad luck on my part (and anyone else trying to refill their car that day). If so, and the number of stations grows, hydrogen fuel cell cars could in fact be a more viable emission-free transportation choice than electric vehicles for those who live in apartments or condominiums where home charging is impossible or infeasible. You just need stations to make them work and for the stations themselves to work.

Of course, none of this refueling debacle touches on the issues surrounding where that hydrogen comes from in the first place. As most of the gaseous hydrogen in our solar system is located in the sun and Jupiter, we have to split it away from another chemical compound. The overwhelming majority comes from compressed natural gas, aka methane, which is a fossil fuel. D&#;oh! This would be what is known as &#;gray&#; or &#;blue&#; hydrogen, and definitely not emission-free. What you really want is &#;green&#; hydrogen, which uses water, but even then you&#;re using a huge amount of power to split water molecules to make hydrogen so you can then fuse it back together with oxygen to create power and water. That makes sense?

So yeah, you thought electric car charging was fraught? Still, could be worse.

Quick Summary:

Hydrogen cars are often in debate about dominating the road by replacing electric cars. Most enthusiasts wonder if Hydrogen-powered cars would really take over the future or if battery electric vehicles (BEVs) would not let the hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) win the battle. It confuses most people interested in purchasing an electric vehicle, whether to choose a hydrogen car or an electric car to not regret in the future. To help you make an informed decision, we have covered the comparison of Hydrogen vs Electric cars based on various parameters such as efficiency, performance, driving range, environmental impact, and more.

Table of Contents

Hydrogen Cars vs Electric Cars - Overview

Hydrogen and Electric cars are both environmental-friendly alternatives to traditional gasoline and diesel vehicles. Hydrogen cars utilize fuel cells that convert the hydrogen gas into electric current, powering the motor to run efficiently. In comparison, electric cars run on batteries charged by electrical grids. Electric cars are widely available and have a large number of users as compared to hydrogen cars. However, hydrogen cars are gradually becoming popular as you can quickly refuel them and get high energy to travel farther. Let&#;s dive deeper into how hydrogen and electric cars work.

How Do Hydrogen Cars Work?

Hydrogen cars or Hydrogen fuel cell electric cars consist of an electric motor driven by the electrochemical reaction, which happens when high-pressure hydrogen gas combines with oxygen and is fed to hydrogen fuel cells to produce electricity and water vapor. Complex than electric cars, hydrogen cars can be considered as small hydrogen-fuelled power stations. With hydrogen cars, you can travel for around 400 miles before the gas tank becomes empty.

A hydrogen car consists of a hydrogen tank that stores highly-pressurized hydrogen gas. The hydrogen gas is then released in such a way as to come in contact with the anode and cathode in the fuel cells. With the electrochemical reaction between the anode and cathode, the hydrogen molecules break into protons (water) and electrons (electricity) to power the car. The electricity produced is stored in a battery which passes down the current to the motor that moves the wheels. Also, refilling the hydrogen tank at a dedicated filling station would only take a few minutes.

How Do Electric Cars Work?

Electric cars or Electric Vehicles (EVs), as the name suggests, work on electric current instead of gasoline, diesel, or petrol fuel. Electric cars use an electric motor driven by the electric current stored in the lithium-ion battery. The electrical energy powers up the electric motor and the entire power system of the car. The owner needs to charge a large battery pack located inside the EV by either plugging the car into the charging outlet or charging station.

The entire system is connected to the assembled battery, which provides power to the electric motor to create instant torque and acceleration to move the vehicle. The efficient system of an electric car also controls the energy flow between the battery and the motor. Additionally, an EV features regenerative braking, which regenerates energy from the wheels when the driver applies brakes and restores that energy in the battery. Battery-powered electric vehicles have gained remarkable popularity in the last few years.

Pros and Cons of Hydrogen-Powered and Electric-Powered Cars

Although both electric and hydrogen cars are environment-friendly, it will be essential to explore the advantages and disadvantages to deduce which car you should purchase in . Here are the pros and cons of Hydrogen and Electric-powered cars.

Pros of Hydrogen Cars:

• Faster refueling: It will take only a few minutes to refill/refuel the hydrogen gas tank due to its time-effective and instantaneous process.
• Distant range: Hydrogen cars are not only faster but also offer a distant range with just a single tank of fuel.
• Zero emissions: The only thing that a hydrogen car emits is water vapor, making it a zero-emission vehicle.

Cons of Hydrogen Cars:

• Lack of infrastructure: With the limited refueling stations or lack of infrastructure, hydrogen cars would not be a viable option.
• Quite expensive: Hydrogen-powered cars are not cheap, and the refueling charge differs considerably among different countries.
• Production challenges: When it comes to the production of hydrogen, it can be energy-intensive and may rely on various non-renewable sources.

Pros of Electric Cars:

• Advanced infrastructure: Compared to hydrogen cars, electric cars have advanced infrastructure and charging stations in which governments worldwide are investing.
• Emissionless and cheaper: Electric cars run silently and produce no pollution or emissions. Also, electric cars are more affordable, and the cost of recharging the batteries is convenient.
• Lower maintenance: Due to the lack of moving parts, battery-powered electric cars are reliable and require less maintenance, resulting in less cost.

Cons of Electric Cars:

• Limited range: One of the most considerable drawbacks of electric cars is the limited range compared to the time it takes to recharge the batteries.
• Battery lifespan: The lifespan of the batteries is limited, and it becomes difficult to dispose of them properly. It will be essential to replace the old batteries with new ones at a regular period.
• Limited charging stations: The charging or refueling stations are currently in the development phase, having around charging stations.

Electric vs Hydrogen Cars: Comparing Various Parameters

Electric and hydrogen cars are considered the best options that produce zero emissions or fumes. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are powered by Li-Ion batteries, while hydrogen cars are fueled by hydrogen fuel cells. Still, there are several differences that can affect your decision to own an electric or hydrogen car. Let&#;s explore the comparison parameters to help you make an informed decision.

Driving Range

When it comes to electric vehicles or battery-operated cars, the driving range depends on which vehicle you purchase. The more expensive your electric vehicle is, the longer range you get. But with hydrogen cars, you will get a better driving range along with a quick refueling time. The driving range for EVs can range from 150 to 375 miles, while for hydrogen cars, it ranges from 400 to 600 miles depending on the tank size.

Efficiency

Hydrogen-powered cars are definitely at a disadvantage here due to the complex processes of converting hydrogen gas into electricity to operate the vehicle. In FCEVs, the energy is converted from chemical energy to electrical energy, leading to greater inefficiency with hydrogen vehicles. In comparison, BEVs or electric cars are quite an energy efficient, utilizing around 80% of the total energy to power the vehicle. Battery-powered electric vehicles are indeed the winner in terms of efficiency.

Environmental Impact

As hydrogen fuel cells can be 100% renewable and environmentally friendly, a hydrogen car is a good option. While driving the hydrogen car, it releases pure water vapor and filters out ultrafine dust from the atmosphere, leading to eco-friendliness. However, the consumption of lithium and cobalt-like materials results in environmental damage. Although electric cars don&#;t emit any fumes or cause air pollution, they can greatly impact the environment, as the manufacturing and disposal of EV batteries can lead to pollution and resource depletion. FCEVs have the upper hand here, as recycling hydrogen fuel cells is easy and cost-effective.

Powering/Refuelling Stations Availability

Hydrogen vehicles lack the required infrastructure or refueling stations. Hydrogen cars are more expensive than electric cars and have over + refueling stations globally as of . However, you can purchase electric cars at a more reasonable price and find thousands of powering\charging stations for EVs globally. The sufficiency of electric car charging stations makes them the best choice for most enthusiasts.

Powering/Refueling Time

Refueling a hydrogen-powered vehicle will only take 5 to 10 minutes to pump the high-pressure hydrogen gas into the tank. In comparison, you will have to wait patiently for 4 to 8 hours for an electric vehicle to get fully charged. Hence, hydrogen cars win the game in terms of refueling time.

Try Our DC Fast Charger For EVs and Get Relief From Long Wait Times
Get a custom DC Fast Charger as per your requirements and level up your EV infrastructure. Let our experts help you decide the best charging solution for your electric vehicle.

Performance

In terms of performance, hydrogen vehicles take the lead as it offers performance twice or thrice the performance internal combustion engine offers. On the contrary, EVs offer good performance, but most owners feel that the performance it offers is not worth the time it takes to completely charge the batteries.

Safety

Hydrogen cars utilize hydrogen gas to move the wheels, and hydrogen gas, as you know, is highly inflammable in nature. However, the advanced designs and safety precautions can make driving hydrogen vehicles a little less risky. Electric cars use lithium-ion batteries that come with their own safety concerns and challenges. If exposed to fire, the li-ion batteries can pick up the flames. Although EVs come with a few risks, driving an electric car is safer than a hydrogen-powered one.

Emissions

When we are talking about emissions, both hydrogen and electric cars do not produce carbon emissions directly from their exhausts. But a considerable amount of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is released during the manufacturing process of electric as well as hydrogen cars.

Cost of Ownership

Electric cars are a little expensive, but the cost depends on the manufacturer and EV model you choose. The price of an electric car may vary from $45,000 to $80,000 and more based on the vehicle&#;s features, performance, and size. In comparison, hydrogen cars are way more expensive than electric cars. You can consider hydrogen cars like Hyundai Nexo SUV, which costs more than $60,000, and Toyota Mirai, which costs around $50,000.

You Might Like to Read:

High Voltage Battery Management System for Electric Vehicles

Hydrogen vs Electric Cars: Which One Is More Sustainable?

As you know, it will be essential to first produce hydrogen gas, which runs the hydrogen-based vehicles. Most of the hydrogen used in hydrogen cars is created using the process of methane forming. That means hydrogen cars use energy twice when creating hydrogen gas and then using high-pressure hydrogen gas to fuel the vehicle. On the other hand, battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs) use electrical energy directly from the grid to charge the batteries and power the vehicle. Hence, selecting between hydrogen or electric cars, the latter is a more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable option.

Will Hydrogen Cars Replace Electric Cars?

As we have seen in the above comparison of hydrogen vs electric cars, hydrogen-fueled cars have many disadvantages, such as limited infrastructure, expensive, and unsafe. While electric cars are safer, less expensive, and have sufficient charging/fueling stations available, offering more convenience to the users or owners. There is a possibility that green hydrogen fuel cells could gain traction in the near future for commercial and industrial purposes. Still, hydrogen cars have no chance to replace electric cars in the upcoming years.

Conclusion

Hopefully, the above comparison of hydrogen vs electric cars will help you get a better idea of whether to purchase an EV or invest good fortune in FCEVs. In my opinion, electric cars are the perfect choice for enthusiasts that need a cleaner, cost-effective, energy-efficient, environmental-friendly, and low-emission option instead of a gasoline-powered vehicle. Of course, the ultimate choice will depend on your needs, preferences, and ideals. But, considering the mentioned parameters, you can choose wisely between electric cars and hydrogen cars.

Bacancy is a leading electric vehicle components manufacturer and supplier, offering quality products ranging from AC/DC chargers to charger/motor controllers. If you have any questions or concerns regarding Bacancy&#;s services, our knowledgeable professionals are happy to help.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are hydrogen cars better than electric cars?

Yes, hydrogen cars are way better than electric cars in terms of zero harmful emissions, quick refueling, and longer driving range. However, hydrogen cars are quite expensive and inefficient with limited infrastructure, and therefore, electric cars are more convenient, reliable, and a better option to consider.

How much does it cost to refuel/charge electric and hydrogen cars?

It costs around $6 to $10 to recharge the batteries of an electric vehicle, depending on the battery storing capacity and charging stations. In comparison, the cost of fueling the hydrogen gas tanks vary from $75 to $125 depending on the fuel tank size.

Why are hydrogen cars not the future?

Many drawbacks, such as fewer refueling stations, expensive maintenance, and inefficient fuel cells, can lead you to determine that hydrogen cars will not take over the current market of EVs in the future.