Hydrogen fuel cells have a number of advantages, according to Commission reports and the industry. The cars are powered from a hydrogen fuel cell that works as a self-contained charger for an electric motor, giving automobiles more power and a longer range than battery-powered electric vehicles while producing little pollution.
For automakers, existing vehicle models can be modified to accommodate hydrogen tanks and cells, reducing design costs. Many of the leading manufacturers have already produced hydrogen prototypes.
Despite earlier concerns about safety—hydrogen is highly flammable—manufacturers say tanks meet or exceed the safety standards of natural gas and petroleum tanks.
One leading challenge is that hydrogen fueling infrastructure doesn’t exist in much of Europe, meaning that most sales will be for business deliver fleets, taxis or urban dwellers with access to filling stations.
Both Germany and Britain have pushed plans to develop hydrogen filling stations, joining similar initiatives in Japan, South Korea and the United States. But across much of Europe, plans for hydrogen stations—like charging points for battery-powered cars—are skimpy.
Franc’s Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking is promoting infrastructure investments to prepare for demand when cars enter the consumer market. Hydrogen is easily stored and supplies in the Europe are plentiful.
The emerging industry is also counting on European leaders to provide incentives—much like those given to renewable energy—for consumers to buy hydrogen vehicles when they start to enter the market over the next decade. …
Fuel cells/electrics are not the way to go. Hydrogen will burn in a plain old internal combustion engine just like gasoline or natural gas will, with few modifications.
What they need to do is find a storage medium that will hold enough hydrogen to fuel an ordinary automobile for at least 250 miles between refuelings.