Can Cars Run on Hydrogen?
2 Answers
Cars can run on hydrogen, and hydrogen-powered vehicles belong to the category of new energy vehicles. The advantages of hydrogen-powered cars include: 1. Hydrogen is a renewable resource with relatively low material costs; 2. Hydrogen-powered vehicles produce almost no pollutants in their exhaust emissions, making them more environmentally friendly. The disadvantage of hydrogen-powered cars is that they are not yet widely popularized, and their stability still needs to be tested by the market. Currently, hydrogen-powered vehicles available in the market include the Maxus FCV80, Hyundai NEXO, and Toyota Mirai. In addition to hydrogen-powered vehicles, new energy vehicles also include pure electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles.
As a tech enthusiast, I often explore new automotive technologies. Cars can indeed run on hydrogen, primarily in two ways. The most common is hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which don't burn hydrogen directly but use a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen in the fuel cell to generate electricity, powering an electric motor while emitting only water vapor – truly clean and zero-emission. The other type is hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles, which burn hydrogen as fuel similar to gasoline engines but are less efficient and therefore rare. The advantage is that hydrogen fuel is renewable; if produced using solar or wind energy, it's entirely green. The challenges lie in storage and limited hydrogen refueling infrastructure – compressed hydrogen requires high-pressure tanks, and there are only a few thousand hydrogen stations globally, mostly in developed cities. Technically feasible, examples include the Toyota Mirai and Hyundai Nexo, offering smooth and quiet driving experiences with decent range, though vehicle prices are higher, around $40,000 to $50,000. I believe that with increased investment, hydrogen will become a mainstream decarbonization solution.
