Future of HFCVs ( Hydrogen Powered Cell Vehicles)

 Here is a summary of the current status and future prospects of hydrogen-powered vehicles:

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) have not yet won out over battery electric vehicles (EVs) so far, for a few key reasons1:

1. Today’s battery EVs are cheaper than hydrogen-powered vehicles, as the technology and infrastructure for EVs is more mature and widespread.
2. Hydrogen vehicles require significant new infrastructure, such as hydrogen refueling stations, which are still limited in most parts of the world34. This makes HFCVs less practical for widespread adoption currently.

However, hydrogen vehicles do have some advantages that could make them competitive in the future:

• Hydrogen vehicles have longer driving ranges and faster refueling times compared to battery EVs, which could be better suited for heavy-duty vehicles like long-haul trucks.
• Innovations to make hydrogen production cleaner and cheaper, as well as improvements in hydrogen storage and fuel cell technology, could help make HFCVs more viable.
• Governments are providing incentives and investing in hydrogen infrastructure development, particularly in regions like California, Japan, China, and parts of Europe

The global hydrogen fuel cell vehicle market is still relatively small, valued at $1.5 billion in 2022, but is projected to grow rapidly to $57.9 billion by 2032 at a CAGR of 43% . However, the lack of refueling infrastructure remains a major barrier to widespread HFCV adoption.

While battery EVs currently dominate the market, hydrogen vehicles still have potential to play a role in the transition to a low-carbon transportation system, especially for heavy-duty applications, if the technology and infrastructure challenges can be overcome in the coming years12.

Key Developments in Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles

• The HCFV market  is projected to grow  rapidly in ten years up until 2032.

• Global HFCV market is still relatively small, valued at $1.5 billion in 2022, but is projected to grow rapidly to $57.9 billion by 2032 at a CAGR of 43%.This growth is driven by factors like government incentives, investments in hydrogen infrastructure, and increasing environmental concerns.

• Hydrogen vehicles have advantages over battery electric vehicles, such as longer driving ranges and faster refueling times, which could make them better suited for heavy-duty applications like long-haul trucks
• However, the lack of widespread hydrogen refueling infrastructure remains a major barrier to widespread HFCV adoption34. Currently, there are less than 800 hydrogen refueling stations globally
• Governments in regions like California, Japan, China, and parts of Europe are providing incentives and investing in developing hydrogen infrastructure to support HFCV growth
• Automakers are also making progress, with companies like Toyota, Hyundai, and Stellantis developing and testing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles15. For example, Toyota recently announced plans to develop a hydrogen fuel cell version of its Hilux pickup truck
• Research and development efforts are focused on reducing the cost of fuel cell stacks and balance of plant components, improving efficiency and performance, and increasing durability of HFCV systems

In summary, while battery electric vehicles currently dominate the market, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have the potential to play an important role in the transition to a low-carbon transportation system, especially for heavy-duty applications, if the infrastructure and technology challenges can be overcome in the coming years.

 

Fuel cell vehicle

Here is a summary of the key working models and specifications of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs):

Model	Fuel Cell Power	Fuel Tank Capacity	Range	Fuel Economy (MPGe)
Toyota Mirai	114 kW	5.6 kg hydrogen	312 mi (502 km)	66 MPGe
Toyota Mirai (2021)	128 kW	5.6 kg hydrogen	402 mi (647 km)	74 MPGe
Hyundai Nexo	95 kW	6.3 kg hydrogen	380 mi (610 km)	61 MPGe

Key points:

• The Toyota Mirai and Hyundai Nexo are two of the most prominent HFCV models currently available.
• They use proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology to generate electricity from hydrogen, which powers the electric motors.
• The fuel cell power output ranges from 95 kW to 128 kW in these models.
• Hydrogen storage tanks hold between 5.6 kg to 6.3 kg of hydrogen, providing driving ranges up to 402 miles (647 km).
• Fuel economy is expressed in miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (MPGe), with the latest Toyota Mirai achieving up to 74 MPGe.

Overall, these HFCV models demonstrate the current state of hydrogen fuel cell technology in terms of power, range, and efficiency, though challenges around cost and refueling infrastructure remain.

 

Importance of Hydrogen

Hydrogen is seen as a clean energy carrier that could play a major role in the future energy transition towards greener alternatives.

Early Discovery

The existence of hydrogen was first recognized as a distinct substance by Henry Cavendish in 1766.

It is difficult to pinpoint an exact timeline for when hydrogen cars will become commonplace. However, the articles suggest that widespread adoption of hydrogen vehicles faces significant challenges that will take time to overcome:

1. Lack of hydrogen refueling infrastructure: The search results indicate that there are currently less than 800 hydrogen refueling stations globally, with most concentrated in regions like California, Japan, and parts of Europe23. Expanding this infrastructure will require “billions of pounds and a number of years to develop”.
2. Higher upfront costs: Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) are currently more expensive than battery electric vehicles (EVs)2. As the technology matures and production scales up, prices are expected to come down, but this will take time.
3. Slow market growth: Despite some growth projections, the global HFCV market is still relatively small, with only around 26,000 fuel cell cars registered globally to date2. Widespread adoption will require significant investment and policy support.

Therefore, while hydrogen vehicles have potential, especially for heavy-duty applications, battery EVs currently dominate the market and have a significant head start1.

One article states that “the days of the hydrogen car are already over”1, indicating that widespread adoption may not happen as quickly as some had predicted.

It seems reasonable to estimate that it could take at least 10-15 years, if not longer, before hydrogen cars become a commonplace sight on roads globally, assuming significant investments are made in infrastructure and technology advancements

 

Following  are some of the most promising hydrogen fuel cell projects currently underway:

Project	Lead Organization	Description
Integrated Green Hydrogen Production, Distribution and Retailing System (UK)	Air Products	Construct an end-to-end, integrated system for green hydrogen production, distribution, and retailing, focused on building a publicly accessible hydrogen refueling station network across London.
Solar-Powered Hydrogen Production and Refueling (Swindon, UK)	BOC Sureserve	Produce solar-generated hydrogen through an electrolyzer for Swindon’s existing public hydrogen refueling station and for use in materials handling and light utility vehicles at Honda’s manufacturing plant.
Renewable Hydrogen System with Grid Integration (Isle of Wight, UK)	ITM Power	Integrate an electrolyzer-based refueler with renewable energy to produce zero-carbon hydrogen for use as a transport fuel in a range of vehicles on the Isle of Wight.
Solar-Hydrogen Energy System for Business Park (Surrey, UK)	Rutland Management	Demonstrate a viable solar-hydrogen energy system to provide green electricity and heat for multiple end-users at a business park.
Grid-Connected Renewable Hydrogen System (Aberdeenshire, UK)	SSE	Connect a 1 MW electrolyzer to the grid, exploring grid impacts and energy storage potential of hydrogen generation, as well as producing green hydrogen to power a fleet of fuel cell buses.
Toyota Hilux Hydrogen Fuel Cell Truck	Toyota	Develop a hydrogen fuel cell version of its best-selling Hilux pickup truck, with plans for small-scale production if prototyping is successful.
Hyundai Nexo Fuel Cell SUV	Hyundai	Introduced the Nexo, a fuel cell-powered SUV, in 2018, and has also developed a fuel cell heavy-duty truck called the Xcient.

The estimated costs for hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs):