Is the Future of Cars Electric or Hydrogen?
FixMyCar explores the pros and cons of electric vs hydrogen cars.
Book a car repair nowEllie Dyer-Brown
Tuesday May 28 2024
5 min read
As we edge closer to the Government’s net zero emissions target of 2050, one of the key factors in achieving this objective will be how we address the needs of the private motorist, especially with the transport sector responsible for around 28% of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK in 2022.
Electric cars are the most popular solution to this problem at present, but as we discuss here, they aren’t perfect. So, what about alternative fuel sources like hydrogen? This guide explores what the future of cars might look like by comparing different technologies.
Electric cars
The popularity of electric cars is increasing. In 2023, more than 452,000 battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars were registered, showing a 41% increase compared to the previous year.
How do electric cars work?
Instead of using petrol or diesel to get them moving, EVs store electricity in batteries to power an electric motor, which drives the wheels. They can be plugged in at home or a specialist charging point to recharge the batteries.
Find out how much it costs to charge an electric car.
Pros
No tailpipe emissions
Cheaper to run
Energy efficient
Exempt from road tax
Exempt from congestion charges
Quieter
Require less maintenance
Better performance
Cons
More expensive than a petrol or diesel car
Only as green as their power source
Lithium mining to produce batteries is environmentally damaging
Lack of battery recycling infrastructure
Fewer qualified mechanics for repairs
Recharging takes a long time compared to filling up with liquid fuel
Battery range and lifespan is limited
Batteries are expensive to replace
Reduction in government grants
Hydrogen cars
There are over 300 hydrogen vehicles on UK roads - mainly buses and passenger cars - and less than 20 hydrogen fuel stations.
How do hydrogen cars work?
Hydrogen cars, also known as fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), are powered by a unique process. The power of FCEVs doesn’t come from built-in batteries like in electric cars. Instead, it is generated by fuel cells, which are like onboard power stations capable of creating electricity from hydrogen.
Compressed hydrogen gas feeds into an onboard fuel cell stack. Instead of burning the hydrogen, its chemical energy is transformed into electrical energy, which is then used to power the car’s electric motors.
Pros
Zero local emissions
Short fuelling time of just three to four minutes
Similar range to EVs with very large battery storage
Hydrogen is one of the most efficient ways to transport and store renewable energy
Twice as fuel efficient as petrol cars
Hydrogen is abundant
Convenient for heavy transport and trains
Cons
Hydrogen production requires electrical energy, so it is only as sustainable as the electricity that produced it
Producing hydrogen is an inefficient process
The technology is expensive
Very few charging stations
Few models available, providing limited choice
Hydrogen is a difficult gas to handle and must be compressed at high pressures
A network of pipelines would have to be built to transport the hydrogen if the technology was widely adopted
Are hydrogen cars safe?
Hydrogen is flammable and must be compressed to fit into a fuel tank, leading some people to voice safety concerns. However, petrol, diesel, and lithium-ion batteries are also flammable.
Hydrogen is just as safe as any other fuel source used in cars. The high-pressure tanks used in FCEVs are designed to survive high-speed crashes and severe impacts without leaking or breaching. The tank would likely survive intact even if the rest of the vehicle were destroyed.
Furthermore, while leaking petrol creates a mess that must be cleaned up and poses a significant fire risk, leaking hydrogen would dissipate into the atmosphere.
Are hydrogen cars the future?
Hydrogen cars have notable advantages over electric vehicles, such as shorter fuelling times and longer range. However, electricity is still required to create large volumes of hydrogen, and not all electricity comes from renewable sources.
Other limiting factors include the lack of charging stations and choice, with few different models available, though more are in development from brands including Land Rover and BMW.
For now, electric cars are the future - though hydrogen vehicles will play a more significant role in the transport industry as the technology develops.
Will hydrogen replace electric cars?
Electric cars are the more popular option at present. This trend will likely stay the same unless an alternative fuel source is discovered that is better than electricity and hydrogen.
An ideal alternative fuel source would:
Produce zero emissions
Be compatible with current infrastructure
Not damage the environment or produce high emissions during production
Provide good fuel efficiency and range
Be quick to refill
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Ellie is FixMyCar's Content Manager. She has over three years of experience writing about cars and regularly collaborates with automotive experts to provide trustworthy advice for drivers that is easy understand. Her work has been featured in Yahoo! Finance, iNews, The Daily Express and The Sun. She has a BA in English literature and an MA in creative writing from Durham University. Outside of work, Ellie follows F1 and eagerly awaits Ferrari's next era of dominance in the sport. She drives a Suzuki Swift.