Tomorrow’s Mobility

Sustainable Technologies for the automotive sector

Week 2 – Session 10 – Hydrogen and Fuel Cell

Vehicles

Ludivine Pidol

Introduction

I- Hydrogen as a part of tomorrow’s mobility

II- Fuel cell vehicle architecture
III- Limitations to hydrogen based mobility
IV- Application for road transport

Conclusion

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Introduction
This lesson starts with explaining how hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles can be a part of the solution
for the tomorrow’s mobility. Then, it will focus on the technology of fuel cell vehicles and look at
the limitations of hydrogen use; and finally present the potential applications of hydrogen and fuel
cells for road transport.

I- Hydrogen as a part of tomorrow’s mobility

As explained in the first week, the main challenge for the transport sector is the reduction of
greenhouse gases such as CO2 and the local pollutants CO, HC, NOx, and particles. Another
challenge is to diversify energy resources. Also, the storage of huge amounts of intermittent
renewable energy is of growing importance, and that is best done with hydrogen.
Why H2 and fuel cells?

• Reduce pollution: greenhouse gases (CO2),

local pollutants (CO, HC, NOx, PM)

• Diversify energy resources

• Storage of intermittent renewable energy

Hydrogen and fuel cells :

a way to respond to these issues

So, hydrogen and fuel cells are part of the solution for tomorrow’s mobility.
Hydrogen can be produced from several resources, such as natural gas (mainly methane, CH4), oil
or coal, but these are not renewable. Hydrogen can also be produced from biomass, solar and wind;
these resources are renewable. This is why hydrogen is a good way to diversify energy resources.

Many potential hydrogen production routes exist. The most widespread process to produce
hydrogen is steam reforming of natural gas.
The well-to-tank balance for greenhouse-gas emissions is critically dependent on the pathway.
Hydrogen produced from renewable sources has a very low well-to-tank balance compared to
hydrogen from natural gas, oil or coal.
With regard to the tank-to-wheel balance, fuel cell vehicles do not emit CO2 (The principles of a fuel
cell will be explained later). So, if hydrogen is produced from renewable sources, it is a carbon-free
fuel with a very good well-to-wheel balance. It is called green or blue hydrogen. But even if the
hydrogen is produced from fossil fuels, the global well-to-wheel balance is still better than for an
internal combustion engine. Whatever the resource, fuel cell vehicles emit less CO2 - and the
intention is to go to carbon-free as soon as possible.

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 Goal 1: Diversify energy resources
Goal 2: Reduce CO2 emissions
Main H2 resources

Natural gas (CH4)

Fossil fuels Oil If H2 comes from fossil fuels

• A fuel cell vehicle still emits less CO2
Coal than an internal combustion engine
• Brown or grey H2
Renewable

Biomass

Solar If H2 comes from renewable sources

• Carbon-free fuel
Wind • Green or blue H2

The third reason why people are focusing on hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles is because this
technology reduces local pollutants such as NOx and particle emissions. To explain this, the
principles of a fuel cell should be explained first. A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical
energy from a fuel (hydrogen, in this case) into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen.
There are many types of fuel cells, but all consist of an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte that
allows charges to move between the two ends of the fuel cell. Electrons are drawn from the anode
to the cathode through an external circuit, producing direct current electricity. The only emission is
water. So, a fuel cell generates only water and energy.
Goal 3: Reduce local pollution
(NOx, particles...)
FIGURE: PRINCIPLE OF A FUEL CELL

The only emission of a fuel cell is water.

II- Fuel cell vehicle architecture

Just like batteries, as described in the last lessons, individual cells are stacked to achieve higher
voltage and power. This assembly of cells is called a fuel cell stack. The power output of a given fuel
cell stack depends on its size. The architecture of a fuel cell vehicle is built on hybrid architecture:
where the combustion engine is replaced by the fuel cell stack, and the fuel tank is replaced by the
hydrogen tank. So, a fuel cell vehicle is inherently electric, the fuel cell stack supplies the electricity
to the electric motor.

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 Principles of fuel cell vehicles
PHOTOGRAPH: Toyota Mirai Fuel Cell Stack
From cell to stack Salão Internacional do Automóvel 2016 São Paulo

• Stacking hundreds of cells together

Fuel cell vehicle architecture  from the

hybrid architecture
• Combustion engine replaced by fuel cell
stack
• Fuel tank replaced by hydrogen tank

Source: wikimedia, Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz

During the last decade, fuel cell stacks were placed under the floor. As they are now more compact,
they can be put under the hood. That offers more space in the cabin. In addition to enough space
for high-pressure tanks and improved efficiency, new models can offer ranges of around five to six
hundred kilometers.
Principle of fuel cell vehicles
PHOTOGRAPH: Toyota Mirai PHOTOGRAPH: Audi A7 sportback H-tron
Source: www.flickr.com, Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz

Source: wikimedia, ApertureEngineering

Fuel stack Fuel stack
Hydrogen tank
under the floor under the hood
 Car range: around 600km

III- Limitations to hydrogen based mobility

Altogether, fuel cell vehicles have several advantages. And hydrogen has, for many years, been
used in applications such as marine and aerospace. So, why have fuel cell vehicles been slow to
appear?
The first reason is linked to the storage and refueling network. As for the other gaseous fuels,
storage and the refueling network are the key issues for the future development of this pathway. In
the presence of a certain percentage of oxygen, hydrogen can burn or explode, so it has to be
treated with care when using it to fill the vehicle. It requires a very robust tank. The procedures for
testing hydrogen tanks are strictly controlled. And fuel cell vehicles must follow the exact same
standard safety tests as other vehicles. The occurrence of a leak is extremely unlikely, but should it
happen, hydrogen is the fastest dispersing molecule on earth! With this wealth of precautions, the
thousands of FCVs on the road have a great safety record.
As for the refueling stations: The experience at a hydrogen filling station is very similar to that at a
conventional one, it takes less than 5 minutes and without any hydrocarbon smell. In all demo
programs, H2 refueling and usage have an excellent safety record. The drawback is the lack of public
infrastructure, which is still expensive at this early stage. In 2017, only one public hydrogen station
had opened in France. Germany already has 50 and Japan and California even more. This is why,

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today, car manufacturers produce their fuel cell vehicles for institutions or companies, which have
their own hydrogen stations.

The next constraint is the price. The present cost of fuel cell vehicles greatly exceeds that of
conventional vehicles, in large part due to the expense of producing fuel cells. For example, in 2017,
the fuel cell vehicles sold by Toyota and Hyundai in Europe cost around 65,000 (sixty-five thousand)
euros, before tax or bonus. Where zero-emission incentives are high (Japan, US), the same Toyota
Mirai model would cost about half that (on a leasing basis). Also, the running costs must be
considered: at 10 euro/kg, the cost per km matches that of a gasoline car, so hydrogen is attractive
in light of the trend for cheaper / greener fuel. The cost at the pump is expected to halve in the
coming decades.
Today, car manufacturers propose leasing fuel cell vehicles and they could include fuel and vehicle
maintenance in the leasing price.
Constraints of H2 use
Storage and refueling network Price :
1. Rigorous testing process for H2 tanks 2. Development of infrastructure 1. Vehicle cost
2. Running costs (fuel, maintenance)
PHOTOGRAPH: Toyota hydrogen tank
PHOTOGRAPH: German Hydrogen station in Berlin
, 2014 New York International Auto Show

Source: ADENIS Pierre / TOTAL

IV- Application for road transport

In terms of potential applications of fuel cell vehicles, the range from car manufacturers is quite
limited. In 2018, only Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes and Audi offered a model.
Potential applications for road transport

Few models of passenger cars on the market:

PHOTOGRAPH: Honda FCX Clarity PHOTOGRAPH: Toyota FCV - Mirai PHOTOGRAPH: Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell

Source: flickr - Joseph Brent Source: flickr - smoothgroover22 Source: wikimedia - Spielvogel

Consequently, today, for passenger cars, fuel cell vehicles are concentrated in private fleets
(companies, institutions), which have their own refueling stations. And fuel cell technology is also
considered for vehicles with longer distances to travel and larger vehicles, such as buses or trucks.

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 Potential applications for road
transport

• Private fleets (institutions, companies)

• Longer travel distances, larger vehicles 
buses, trucks

PHOTOGRAPH: US Air Force demonstrator

25 passenger crew bus powered by a hydrogen fuel cell,
used at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam

Conclusion
To sum up, like electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles have several advantages:
 They generate zero CO2 and zero pollutant emissions during driving.
 Hydrogen can be produced from various energy sources, including renewables.

However, there are still some drawbacks of hydrogen as a fuel for vehicles:
 Public hydrogen refueling stations are not fully developed.
 Car manufacturers offer only a few models.
 Also, the purchase and running costs are higher for fuel cell vehicles, but these should
decrease substantially in the next few years.

The main advantage of a fuel cell vehicle over an electric vehicle is a better car range and instant
refueling. Hydrogen itself is attractive as it can store intermittent energy.

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