We are now used to cars powered by electricity; but in the quest for zero carbon emissions, hydrogen cars, or hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), could be the next big thing in the automotive industry. The International Energy Agency projects that hydrogen will account for 16% of road transport by 2050. Some industry insiders believe that cars powered by hydrogen, either by combusting it like gasoline, or by incorporating it into a fuel cell, could overtake battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs) in the coming years. Others think this is a huge overestimation. However, it is clear that hydrogen will form part of the future of transport. The transportation sector is responsible for a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, and companies have been pouring cash into finding solutions. One of these is the replacement of traditional fuels with green hydrogen and hydrogen fuel cells. As a result, an increasing number of manufacturers are developing hydrogen engines as an alternative to EVs and vehicles with polluting combustion engines.
They generate their own electricity
Hydrogen cars are classified as electric cars, but differ in that they generate their own electricity using a fuel cell rather than relying on a built-in battery. The fuel cell converts hydrogen from a tank in the car and oxygen from the air into electrical energy through electrolysis. This process produces only heat and water vapour, with no emissions. The electricity generated powers the electric motor or charges a small buffer battery, which is lighter than those in all-electric cars, and is continuously recharged by the fuel cell. This makes hydrogen cars an efficient and eco-friendly option.
A new market study by Market Research Future on ‘The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Market’ says that hydrogen-powered vehicles are expected to take off by 2028. The hydrogen vehicle market was valued at $652 million in 2018, with an expected CAGR of over 28% between 2023 and 2032.
Water is the only emission
One of the biggest benefits of hydrogen cars is that they produce zero emissions apart from water. They are also faster to fill up than electric cars, refuelling in under four minutes. It is possible to get up to 700 km on a single tank, alleviating the range anxiety experienced by EV car drivers. Hydrogen has a higher energy density compared to batteries, which means vehicles can travel longer distances without increasing weight significantly. The hydrogen engine is also characterised by its robustness, which makes it suited to challenging environmental conditions. Hydrogen technology isn’t limited to passenger vehicles. It can be extended to commercial vehicles, buses, trucks, and even trains.
Naturally, there are some drawbacks. Hydrogen cars are expensive due to their complexity, and the small number of refuelling stations is a significant problem at this stage. This is a chicken-and-egg problem: buyers don’t want hydrogen cars because they can’t fill them, and there are no filling stations because there are no cars.
The players
There are already a couple of hydrogen cars on the market − Toyota’s Mirai and Hyundai’s Nexo. Renault, Tata, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Land Rover are also reported to be working on hydrogen engines. In 2021, London launched a fleet of 20 double-decker buses, all powered by hydrogen.
H2 Moves Europe has a pilot project deploying fleets of zero-emission FCEV taxis in Europe, with nearly 500 000 passenger journeys across six million kilometres taking place. FCEVs are particularly well suited to vehicle fleets such as taxis and buses.
In another initiative, Anglo American collaborated with the world’s largest FCEV taxi operator, Hype, the official taxi provider to the Paris Olympics. Two fleets of 300 zero-emission FCEVs were deployed for the games. The fleets included a mixture of fuel-cell-powered Peugeot e-Expert and Citroen e-Jumpy vehicles adopted for wheelchair users, and also Toyota Mirai and Hyundai Nexo cars.
“The hydrogen economy unpacks fantastic value for South Africa and for us as PGM miners, with platinum and iridium used both in the generation of green hydrogen and the opportunities in PEM electrolysers and in FCEVs,” said Anglo executive head of projects and environment, Prakashim Moodlia.
The German automaker, Bosch also plans to launch its first hydrogen engine for trucks and construction equipment this year, which will be part of its existing fuel cell and electric collection.
Here in South Africa, Angloplatinum, BMW and Sasol are collaborating with a pilot fleet of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles called the iX5 Hydrogen, which they have launched for testing. “Depending on the market requirements and general conditions, we envisage offering our customers a production vehicle in the second half of this decade,” BMW South Africa said in a statement. It claims that the iX5 Hydrogen can charge to full capacity in just four minutes, giving a range of 504 km. With a 295 kW powertrain and 710 Nm of torque, it packs significantly more punch than the Toyota and Hyundai cars, backed up by a sub-six second sprint from 0 to 100 km/h.
Angloplatinum has also brought hydrogen-powered solutions to its mines with the introduction of the world’s largest hydrogen-powered mine haul truck at Mogalakwena PGM mine in Limpopo.
Special applications
As a start, off-road applications in heavy-duty vehicles like tractors, earthmovers and mining equipment may be a better fit for hydrogen engines. One part of the transportation sector that could be revolutionised by hydrogen is the shipping industry. Big industrial vehicles and ships are some of the biggest emitters of carbon dioxide, and they are the hardest to electrify. Trucks and long-distance buses are also potential applications.
The jury is still out on whether hydrogen cars will actually compete with battery-powered ones. Currently, hydrogen cars aren’t quite viable for the general public. There are too few filling stations, and green hydrogen isn’t yet commercially available in bulk. However, the time will come when hydrogen fuel cell cars will coexist with EVs and be part of the zero-emission vehicle solution. As Anglo executive market development head, Benny Oeyen said: “Hydrogen-powered FCEVs are expected to play a significant role in the mix of clean drivetrain technologies needed to effectively decarbonise transport.”
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