Although battery electric vehicles (BEVs) such as the Chevrolet Bolt EV or even the more popular Tesla Model 3 especially when it comes to zero emissions technology, fuel cell vehicles FCEVs) offer several advantages that are hard to ignore in any debate. It is noteworthy that FCEVs and BEVs, both, do cause very little harmful emissions, however, FCEVs has other stories/factors that differentiate it from not only BEV but also other types of vehicles.
Advantage of Quick Refueling
One of the armaments with which FCEVs come is the ease of refueling. Refueling is akin to filling the gas tank of a conventional automobile. The time taken to replenish the fuel in an FCEV is usually about five to ten minutes which is quite different from the hours that will take to charge the batteries of many BEVs. Accordingly, this benefit makes it easier for FCEV users to manage concerns over range.
Challenges Facing FCEVs
Nevertheless, FCEVs are not without their challenges that are quite pronounced.
- Manufacturing Costs: Fuel cells have always posed a challenge in their cost of implementation, however, this may soon not be the case as FCEV fuel systems will vary with the adoption curve.
- Hydrogen Availability: Hydrogen is the primary fuel used in FCEVs and is abundant in nature, however, it is not freely available in its pure state. It has to be manufactured, but generally this involves the use of large amounts of energy; then it is delivered to refuelling stations. Presently, this is not the only option available as various ways of producing hydrogen include during refueling stations electrolysis.
- Infrastructure Limitations: In the U.S. the number of hydrogen fueling stations is few and mainly located in urban California. This raises a problem concerning whether to create the facilities to accommodate cars using FCEV technology or to wait until the vehicles flood the roads. Due to the lack of enough refueling facilities, many prospective customers may not opt for FCEVs.
How Fuel Cells Work Without Apparatuses
While electric vehicles (EVs) have a battery that stores electrical energy, hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicle does not contain a battery but generates its own electricity chemically. A fuel cell has three main parts, namely:
Anode: The inlet of hydrogen gas into the fuel cell.
Cathode: The inlet of oxygen into the fuel cell.
Electrolyte Membrane: The membrane allows protons to cross but does not allow electrons to cross.
At the kathode hydrogen is split and protons go through the wall while electrons are the moving direct current. The cathode then combines the protons, electrons and oxygen creating water and heat which are used as waste in are very clean and simple because there are no moving parts inside the fuel cells.
Understanding Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVS)
FCEVs utilize the electricity produced by the fuel cells to drive electric motors, like BEVs. Some of the FCEVs use a battery in addition to fuel cells for storing excess energy.
A fuel cell vehicle comprises:
Electric Drive Motors: Electric motors supplied with electric power from the fuel cell or a battery.
Transmission System: Supplies power to the wheels.
Cooling System: Controls the working temperatures of all the parts within the deviations.
In addition, there are mushroom tanks with the hydrogen fuel at high pressure, and dispensing it is more advanced than that of the gasoline pump thus time taken is nearly similar.
The Road Ahead for FCEVs
It is likely that FCEVs will perform better than BEVs in some instances, for example: in the speed of refuelling and energy generation while on-board. However, even with such potential benefits, challenges such as the methods of hydrogen production and lack of fueling assimilation are great barriers to the widespread acceptance of the system. Currently, in the USA, the predominant FCEVs include the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell, Hyundai Nexo, and Toyota Mirai but are mostly found in the state of California and Hawaii.
