Hydrogen losing out as cleaner car power source competition intensifies.

TLDR:

Hydrogen fuel cells are losing the race to power cleaner cars as batteries dominate the market for zero-emission vehicles. This is due to several key factors, including behind-the-curve technology, high costs, lack of infrastructure, inefficiency, and a shortage of clean hydrogen. While hydrogen vehicles have potential in heavy-duty trucking, their future in passenger vehicles is uncertain.

In a world where climate change is a pressing issue, transportation remains a significant contributor to global emissions. Hydrogen fuel cells, which generate electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen, have been touted as a green alternative in the transportation sector. However, several challenges are hindering their widespread adoption.

One of the main reasons for the lag in hydrogen vehicle sales is the dominance of battery electric vehicles in the market. Global sales of battery electric vehicles have far surpassed sales of fuel-cell vehicles, with consumers showing a preference for battery-powered options.

Additionally, the high cost of hydrogen vehicles, expensive fuel, lack of infrastructure for fueling stations, and the inefficiency of fuel cells compared to batteries are all contributing factors to the limited success of hydrogen-fuel vehicles.

Production of low-emissions hydrogen is also a challenge, as the majority of hydrogen is currently produced using fossil fuels, negating its potential as a decarbonization solution. Better uses for clean hydrogen, such as in heavy industry, aviation, and shipping, are being prioritized over passenger vehicles.

While hydrogen fuel cells may have a future in long-range heavy-duty trucking, the outlook for passenger vehicles is less certain. With the current market favoring battery electric vehicles and the challenges facing hydrogen technology, hydrogen-powered cars are facing an uphill battle in the race to power cleaner transport options.