Although conventional gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles have dominated the automotive industry for a long time, with the advancement of technology two major substitutes seem to gather more popularity – Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), and Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs). Considered eco-friendly means of transport, the two have marked their distinct boundaries in their respective technologies, performance and practicality. In case you are thinking of replacing your existing vehicle with an electric one, it would be wise to know the principal differences in order to select the best one for you.
Technology Overview FCEVs
Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) is a vehicle that converts fuel chemical energy directly into electric energy in a fuel cell, where hydrogen gas and oxygen are chemically reacted. The electric motor is supplied with electricity from the fuel cells, with only water vapor exhausted as waste. BEVs: Unlike these vehicles, Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) use a set of rechargeable batteries as the only energy source for operation of the electric motor. This means BEVs have to be connected to a power outlet or any other electrical source to recharge the battery.
Refueling and Charging FCEVs
A unique refueling feature of FCEVs is that it does not take time refueling. The pump dispensing hydrogen usually takes 3 to 5 minutes unlike refilling gas to a vehicle and this is the only advantage. However, hydrogen refueling station are not easy to find which may pose a problem depending on the area you are in. BEVs: With regard to BEVs, there is a variety of charging time one can expect. For example, connecting the car to a Level 2 home charger may take hours before the car is fully charged as opposed to using fast chargers that take about 30 minutes. Besides, the charging stations are often available everywhere, especially within the town limits.
Driving Range
- FCEVs: FCEVs mostly have a longer driving range which is generally about 300 to 400 miles using a single tank of hydrogen. This enables them to be used during long travels without the fear of running out of fuel.
- BEVs: The driving range of BEVs differs from one model to another with most of the recent models providing a range of about 250 to 350 miles. Though this range is enough for day to day use and even within town trips, this distance might be an issue for frequent long distance drivers.
Environmental Impact
- FCEVs: FCEVs do not produce any emissions from their operation and hence aid in reducing the levels of air pollution and green house gases in the atmosphere. Nonetheless, it is not the same with regard to the ecological effects as this is predicated on the process used to produce the hydrogen. In the ideal situation, such scenarios turn out to be the most favourable and economical efficiency, where hydrogen is produced of the renewable sources. If it is produced from fossil fuel, then all these although foreign developed technologies will have less favourable overall performance.
- BEVs: FCEVs have no tailpipe emissions, and so do BEVs. The charging source of electricity has a high impact on the operation of BEVs. If a BEV is charged from renewable energy, it will minimize the use of fossil fuels in such a way that their benefits would be reduced by use of electricity produced from fossil fuels.
Cost Considerations
- FCEVs: The buying price of FCEVs is usually higher than BEVs in most cases because of the expensive fuel cell technology. Apart from that, hydrogen fuel prices differ widely in some places and in other areas, the number of refueling stations is very few leading to higher operational costs in those regions.
- BEVs: The initial cost of BEVs may also be higher, nevertheless, government incentives and tax credits may also bring the cost down. Electricity price is of stable nature and is also cheaper than that of hydrogen in most cases, hence leading to lower cost of operations over a period of time.
Avaiability and Infrastructure
- FCEVs: The market for fcev vehicles is still nascent, there are very few fcev models and also the hydrogen refueling infrastructure is not yet developed. Even within the USA, one of the target markets for FCEV, there is likely to be a need for drivers to travel to places like California where hydrogen stations are readily available to refuel their vehicles.
- BEVs: On the other hand, for most BEVs, they come in a mix of sizes and shapes, even including SUVs and the vehicles do have a rapidly growing charging infrastructure. This makes most drivers an easier option thanks to the BEV.
Conclusion
When thinking about which is better or selecting between a Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle and a Battery Electric Vehicle, it’s important to think about how you drive, if you have access to filling up or charging up, your concern for the environment and the costs. One of the advantages of FCEV is that the tanks can be refilled in a jiffy and have long driving distances, hence these cars are more suited for long haul drivers in areas where hydrogen supply is available. Additionally Bevs offer larger varieties and much easier means of charging, hence viable options for most drivers. Lastly, all the above vehicles enhance the efforts towards sustainability with the right choice depending on one’s way of living and personal preferences.
