Fuel-cell vehicles - Latest Technology

Fuel-cell vehicles
Compared to electricity or hydrocarbons, furnace vehicles have long promised several major advantages. However, the technology has only now reached the stage where car companies are planning consumer launches. Initial prices are probably around $70,000, but are projected to decrease significantly as volumes increase in the next few years. 




Furnace vehicles have long pledged several major advantages compared with electricity or hydrocarbons. But the technology is only now on the verge of automotive business planning to launch consumers. The initial prices are expected to decrease substantially as volumes increase in the coming years, though are estimated to be around $70,000. 


In contrast to electric battery-powered vehicles, the long cruising range of powered fuel cell vehicles (up to 650 kilometers per tank (fuel is generally hydrogen gas), which requires only about three minutes to refill hydrogen fuel. Hydrogen is clean-burning and only produces waste water vapor, so hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles will be zero emissions. This will be an important factor because air pollution needs to be reduced. 



Hydrogen can be produced in several ways without carbon emissions. Renewable wind and solar sources can most obviously use electricity sources for water electrolyzation–even though this process will probably have a very low overall energy efficiency. The resultant carbon dioxide is also split into and sequestered from water by nuclear reactors at extreme temperatures, or produced from fossil fuels as coal or natural gas rather than publicly releasing it into the atmosphere. 



In addition to producing low-cost hydrogen on a large scale, the lack of a distributing infrastructure for gas and diesel filling stations is a major challenge. Even in a compressed state, long-haul transport of hydrogen is now not economically feasible. However, innovative hydrogen Storage techniques, like organic liquid carriers without high-pressure storage, will soon lower transport costs and ease the risk of gas storage and unintentional release. 



The fuel-cell mass market is an attractive prospect as it offers the range and fuel comfort of current diesel and gas vehicles and also the advantages of the sustainability of personal transport. However, in order to achieve those advantages the production of entirely low carbon hydrogen and its distribution to a growing fleet of vehicles, which are expected to be in the millions in a decade time, will be reliable and economical.