Hydrogen-powered cars have been a hot topic for the last several decades. Since as early as the 1970s, they were looked toward as the vehicles of the future. Now, with companies like Toyota, BMW, and Audi in the process of finetuning their own hydrogen-powered models, those dreams have become a reality.
When it comes to renewable energy sources, hydrogen certainly offers promise in helping to reduce global reliance on fossil fuels. Even so, questions remain as to whether hydrogen-powered cars will ever truly be able to compete with electric vehicles, which have quickly gained traction over the last several years. Looking to the future of fuel, commodities specialist, Turab Musayev weighs in.
The Promise of Hydrogen
When it comes to renewable energy sources, hydrogen certainly has its advantages. Firstly, its emissions are 100% pollution free. Unlike fossil fuels, a hydrogen-powered car boasts absolutely no tailpipe emissions outside of water, meaning it is a considerably cleaner, safer alternative to gas. It also exists in abundance—unlike fossil fuels which are slowly being depleted, there is a seemingly endless amount of hydrogen at our disposal. It will never run out. In fact, it is the most abundant element in the universe.
Outside of the promise of pollution-free transportation, hydrogen also offers the benefit of a high energy density and lightweight nature. Put simply, it can power cars for extended lengths without adding significant bulk or weight to the machine—something which electrical cars still struggle to achieve. Furthermore, like gasoline engines, hydrogen cars can be refueled quickly—often in as little as 5 minutes or less. According to Turab Musayev, this convenience factor sets them apart from electrical cars, which can take hours to charge.
Hydrogen and the Replacement of Natural Gas
Given their many benefits, it’s easy to see why several prominent car manufacturers have chosen to invest in hydrogen solutions over the last several years. In fact, Toyota and other auto manufacturers are currently working alongside the Japanese government to turn the nation into the world’s very first hydrogen-based society by the year 2022.
With these advancements in mind, Turab Musayev believes it’s reasonable to suggest that hydrogen-powered cars will likely play an essential role in helping to replace fossil fuels in the coming years. Even so, it’s less certain as to whether hydrogen-powered automobiles will be able to beat out their fellow clean-energy solution: electric vehicles.
Hydrogen Vs. Electric
Like their hydrogen-powered counterparts, electric cars offer a cleaner solution to today’s fossil fuel consumption. While their production process may still be linked to the use of fossil fuels, electric motors themselves create no direct pollution. They also reduce the usage of other hazardous polluting fluids like motor oil or antifreeze. All in all, they are a much cleaner energy source than natural gas.
Looking to the future, Turab Musayev believes that hydrogen-powered cars will play an integral role in phasing out natural gas—but they will struggle to compete against electric cars in the long run. On the surface, hydrogen-powered cars may boast more upfront benefits, but when end-to-end production and other complications are considered, electric cars are more likely to come out on top.
For starters, the cost difference between the two is dramatic due to hydrogen’s strenuous extraction process. Although the element is abundant, it’s not readily available for use until it is extracted. In the US, this most commonly occurs through a process called steam reforming, which requires a good deal of heat. Outside of its higher cost, this process is also relatively inefficient, leading to significant energy losses.
Additionally, the process of steam reforming typically relies on the use of natural gas. In short, while hydrogen itself may not produce any pollution, the process used to extract it from the compounds where it exists certainly does, bringing into question the energy source’s long-term viability as a clean energy solution.
The transport and storage of pure hydrogen also put hydrogen-powered cars at a disadvantage compared to their electric competitors. Because hydrogen is low-density as a gas and liquid, it’s difficult to move and store. This also makes it significantly more challenging (and more expensive) to build the infrastructure necessary to expand the use of hydrogen-powered vehicles on a mass scale.
As a result, there are currently only around 45 hydrogen fueling stations in the United States, which struggle to consistently serve the users they do have. In stark contrast, there are already more than 16,000 charging stations with around 43,000 connectors available to electric vehicles. These comparisons are only the beginning indications of what Turab Musayev is predicting for the future of clean energy: hydrogen-powered cars may play a central role in helping the world transition from fossil fuels, but electric cars are a more likely long-term solution.
