What Are Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles and Are They Worth It?

You've heard of gas and electric-powered vehicles, but what about hydrogen-powered cars?

Fuel cell electric vehicles use electricity to power an electric motor, just like a normal EV. However, FCEVs use hydrogen fuel cells to produce some of the electricity needed to power the vehicle, instead of just relying on a battery. 

Whether or not that makes sense is, like most things on the internet, subject to debate. Elon Musk, whose Tesla company makes competing battery EVs, once criticized FCEVs, calling them "mind-bogglingly stupid." Meanwhile some major car companies, like Toyota and Honda, are investing in hydrogen technology. Experts at Toyota, which has battery electric vehicles, hybrids, plug-in hybrids and its own FCEVs, had no comment on Musk's opinion, but emphasized it's not a one-size-fits-all solution.

"What gets lost in the debate is what the customer wants and needs. When choosing a vehicle, it comes down to what works best based on your lifestyle, budget and what you have access to," Josh Burns, Toyota's mobility communication consultant, told CNET.

With that being said, should you consider an FCEV when you buy your next car? Let's explore how they stack up against internal combustion engine vehicles and battery electric vehicles to settle the debate. 

What is a fuel cell electric vehicle?

Unlike battery electric vehicles, which are the more traditional electric vehicles that store energy in large batteries, FCEVs generate electricity using hydrogen and only emit water vapor and warm air. BEVs and FCEVs are greener alternatives with zero emissions, compared to an internal combustion engine vehicle, which burns fossil fuels and emits pollutants. 

Jackie Birdsall, the senior engineering manager for Toyota's fuel cell division, explained FCEVs as, "an electric vehicle, but instead of plugging it in to recharge, you refill it with hydrogen." 

When you're at a charging or fueling station, the energy source varies. Here's a quick breakdown of the different fuel sources we're working with here: 

• ICE vehicles use gas or diesel.
• BEVs use electricity stored in a large battery.
• FCEVs use hydrogen. 

Gas and diesel are considered fossil fuels, while electricity and hydrogen can come from renewable sources. But that doesn't necessarily mean these alternative fuel sources are 100% clean. 

"Not all electricity is clean, and that's a challenge with hydrogen as well. But with FCEVs, it's often missed that the source can be clean and there's a lot of opportunity to produce clean hydrogen," Burns said.

It only takes around 5 minutes to refuel a FCEV. And refueling an FCEV is much faster than a BEV, which can take anywhere from 30 minutes up to 50 hours depending on your EV charger level. The refueling process of a FCEV is actually similar to that of an ICE vehicle. It's just like taking your car to a gas station, except you're filling up with hydrogen instead of gasoline. At a hydrogen refueling station, you'll connect the fuel nozzle to the vehicle's hydrogen tank, filling it up in just a few minutes. 

EV batteries also wear out over time. That's why Energy Star recommends only charging your EV up to 80% of its capacity in order to maximize the battery's lifespan. Hydrogen fuel cells are different. "The target at fueling stations is typically 100%. Since it's a hydrogen tank, you want it full and want to deplete it all the way. There's no effect on the durability of the tank," Birdsall said. This means FCEVs can offer consistent performance without the battery degradation concerns you see with BEVs.

The pros and cons of FCEVs 

FCEVs come with some nice perks. First off, you can fuel up an FCEV in around 5 minutes, which is about how long it takes to put gas in an ICE vehicle. You can usually go about 400 miles on a single tank, depending on the vehicle. But it's going to cost you more than charging an EV or fueling an ICE vehicle. 

Prices for hydrogen vary, but Reddit users report spending $140 to $200 per tank, which is significantly more than an ICE or EV. Finding locations to fuel up can also be tricky. You'll need to find online hydrogen networks and station maps to plan out your drive.

One of the main draws of FCEVs is the environmental benefits. Instead of polluting the air by burning gas or diesel, FCEVs have zero tailpipe emissions and only release water vapor. However, an FCEV's overall environmental impact depends heavily on whether or not the hydrogen is from renewable sources. And for now, most hydrogen production isn't from clean energy sources, but that could change in the future. 

"The federal government put about $8 billion into creating renewable hydrogen hubs around the US. The goal is to use renewable resources specific to each hub's region to create hydrogen," said Birdsall. 

Despite many advancements over the past decade, FCEVs still face a few hurdles. Here are some pros and cons to consider. 

Pros

• Quick refueling: You can fuel an FCEV in 5 minutes. A single tank should last about 400 miles.
• Clean emissions: Instead of harmful pollutants, FCEVs only emit vapor water. 
• Familiar refueling process: Refueling an FCEV is similar to refueling an ICE vehicle, making it a simple transition.
• Long-lasting performance: Hydrogen fuel cells have a long lifespan, designed to last the vehicle's lifetime. You won't have to worry about battery degradation like you would with a BEV.
• Incentives: You can receive local and federal grants or incentives for zero-emission vehicles. Certain automakers also offer fueling incentives when you buy an FCEV. 

Cons

• Limited technology and resources: There are significantly fewer FCEVs and hydrogen fueling stations available than the alternatives. When fueling stations need repair, there aren't as many technicians and permitting officials trained to work with hydrogen technology.
• Expensive fuel: Hydrogen is more expensive compared to other fuel sources. 
• Non-renewable hydrogen: A significant portion of hydrogen is produced from non-renewable sources, though efforts are underway to increase renewable hydrogen production.

The future of FCEVs

Will FCEVs take over the US? Maybe one day. But for now, most FCEVs in the US are found in California, mainly due to the state's zero-emissions mandate. Other states have a similar mandate but haven't put as much money or effort into developing hydrogen infrastructure. And while the US has been making strides toward FCEV adoption, it's still not as advanced as in other countries.

"China and Korea have taken the lead in building out the hydrogen infrastructure by putting a lot of funding toward those efforts," Birdsall said. "The case in California is different though. We have more drivers and fewer stations, so there's more wear and tear on the infrastructure". 

This results in more hydrogen stations being down for repairs. However, there's a much larger network of hydrogen stations in Japan and many European countries, which helps distribute usage and reduce equipment failures.

While the technology is developing, there's still a considerable investment being put forth toward fuel cell development. "There's a lot of opportunity for light-duty vehicles, but also for medium and heavy-duty transportation," Burns said. One of the pitfalls of battery technology is that it doesn't yet support the needs of commercial long-haul vehicles. But with proper hydrogen infrastructure, these vehicles can quickly refuel and continue operating, making it a great solution for reducing emissions in fleet operations.

When it comes to the battle of EVs versus FCEVs, Burns said, "It's not an either-or conversation; it's an 'and'. There is not a clear better technology, but rather different solutions that can complement each other." Both EVs and FCEVs have a role in reducing harmful emissions and supporting a sustainable future.

Frequently asked questions