2021 Mirai: What to Know About Hydrogen Cars
Hydrogen-powered cars are still rare in the market, but the technology is advancing quickly, and we could be seeing Fuel-Cell compete head-to-head with battery EVs in the near future. Here's why...
Most Environmentally Friendly Option?
The drivetrain and powertrain of both EVs and hydrogen-powered cars are practically the same. They both use electricity stored in a battery to power electric motors, which drive the car. The difference is that, instead of electricity from a power station, the battery in Fuel-Cell cars is charged by the chemical reaction of highly pressurized hydrogen with oxygen. That reaction produces two things: The electricity that goes into the battery and water, which is disbursed. That's right! No toxic fumes or particulates... Just the elixir of life out of the exhaust!
Hydrogen is Very Safe
The first question on everyone's mind: Isn't hydrogen flammable? To a certain extent, yes. But the safety measures that have gone into manufacturing hydrogen tanks for Fuel-Cell cars make them significantly safer than gasoline AND electric cars. hydrogen is gas, so even if you set the tank on fire, the amount of it that will burn before most of it escapes into the atmosphere can only cause minimal damage to the car.
Electric Cars... With More Range
From a driving standpoint, hydrogen cars are very similar to EVs. Same instant torque and power at your disposal. But due to the fact that the source of the power isn't the battery itself, hydrogen cars often have a better driving range than EVs. Most production EVs fall within the 200-250-mile range. Meanwhile, common fuel-cell cars like the Mirai can reach 320 miles on one tank of hydrogen. Plus, filling up the tank takes way less time than charging a battery, even if it's on a supercharger.
Where Do You Fill Up?
Hydrogen fueling stations are still rather scarce in comparison to other fuels. But where they exist, they are just add-ons to gasoline stations. The technology is growing. And one of the biggest advantages that hydrogen has in terms of refueling options is that it is easily added on without the need for dedicated stations.
Cost of Maintenance
The cost of refueling with hydrogen is significantly higher than electricity and slightly higher than gasoline. And that has to do with the much lower volume comparatively. And while hydrogen cars may not be as complicated to build and maintain as gasoline-powered cars, they're not as simple as EVs. So maintenance costs can be high. But that's always the case for early adopters of any new tech. Once the fuel-cell tech is scaled up, we should expect to see a significant drop in ownership costs.
Competitors to Mirai?
Another indication that fuel-cell technology is in its infancy is the fact that there are no more than 3 hydrogen-powered models on sale at the moment. Other than Toyota's Mirai, Hyundai and Honda are the only other brands with hydrogen-powered options.
Negatives?
There is one glaring disadvantage at the moment with this sort of fuel. And that is in the way it is produced. Unfortunately, the industrial plants that commonly refine hydrogen today create carbon emissions. More sustainable methods of refining hydrogen are less efficient.
Sustainability Potential
Currently, the carbon footprint of refining hydrogen is similar to the production of electricity. However, given that hydrogen is often created as a byproduct of many industrial processes, combined with the fact that it can easily be stored, H2 could become the most sustainable fuel. Not only for vehicles but for other applications of electricity as well.
