Issues and Costs of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles

Building the Technology Necessary to Break into the Market

Mar 24, 2009

Bringing down the cost of fuel-cells is key to making these vehicles available to the public, but there are a few issues that must be addressed before it happens.

Currently the issues that prevent the mass production of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles are cold weather tolerance, start up time, power output, range, fueling infrastructure, and high volume manufacturing. Until these problems have been solved the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles won't be practical.

High Costs of Fuel Cells and Infrastructure

Another major roadblock is the high costs of producing Fuel Cells - they use precious metals such as platinum in the production. The Infrastructure is not cheap either, California Fuel-Cell Partnership’s (CaFCP) goal is to create 40 hydrogen fueling stations in Los Angeles. This project will cost about $80 million plus the cost of the land where the fueling stations will be built.

To make Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles attractive to the general population fueling stations would need to be constructed nationwide to provide convenient filling. In September 2008, Dan O’Connell, Director of Fuel-Cell Commercialization for GM told Automotive Engineering International – the US will need 12, 000 fueling stations across the country and will cost between $10 and $15 billion to construct.

Zero Emissions Vehicles

Hydrogen Fuel-Cells have two electrodes separated by a polymer-exchange membrane (PEM). The Hydrogen reacts will the catalyst in the electrode, this separates the electrons from the Hydrogen. The electrons create the electricity to propel the vehicle while the positively charged hydrogen ions react with oxygen to create water vapor – the only tailpipe emission.

According to CaFCP website, “Fuel cell vehicles using hydrogen produced from natural gas reduce greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions by roughly 50%. When hydrogen comes from clean energy, like solar electrolysis or biomass, the GHGs are zero.” (FuelCellPartnership.org)

Low Carbon Fuel Standard

Governor Schwarzenegger is taking actions to reduce GHGs – he implemented an executive order to create a Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) for transportation fuels sold in California. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles will be able to meet this high standard if they become available to the public.

The goals are to significantly reduce GHGs; the first step is to reduce the carbon content 10% in passenger vehicle fuels. By 2020 the GHG levels are set to be reduced to 1990 levels, by 2050 the goal is to reduce GHG levels 80% lower than they were in 1990.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles have a optimistic future in terms of clean energy, but the technology still needs development. The costs of the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles also need to be brought down before these vehicles will be prominent on the road.

The copyright of the article Issues and Costs of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles in Green Fuels/Vehicles is owned by David Greenfield. Permission to republish Issues and Costs of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.