Which automakers invest in hydrogen fuel cells?

Certainly electric vehicles are the future of “green” cars. But hydrogen-powered cars are a major challenge for many automakers. Manufacturers have been experimenting with hydrogen fuel cell technology for many years, trying to find a way to use hydrogen, the element that is abundant everywhere in the environment.

So far there are only two hydrogen-powered production cars. They are on production line and are for sale. These are the Toyota Mirai and the Hyundai Nexo. However, there are other models from other automotive companies that deal with this technology, such as BMW, Land Rover and Vauxhall, which plan to release specific hydrogen models in the next five years.

One of the reasons for this very slow expansion of hydrogen cells in the car is the infrastructure. For example, in Great Britain, which is one of the leading countries in hydrogen technology, there are only 12 hydrogen gas stations. More hydrogen refueling stations are planned soon. Currently, the lack of available infrastructure is a major obstacle. In Poland, the first hydrogen station was created just a few months ago, and across Europe their number is estimated at just under 200.

What is certain is that hydrogen did not come to replace electrification, but to be another environmentally friendly proposal. It is considered as a possible alternative to powering heavy trucks, as they travel long distances, have large energy losses and require large batteries that are time consuming to charge.

Among other things, it is worth paying attention to the current European Union regulations that place great emphasis on environmental friendliness, supporting alternatives related to alternative fuels.

An important advantage in the daily operation of a hydrogen car is the availability of this element, as it can be found almost anywhere. A tank in the new hydrogen cars gives a range of over 700 km. Another advantage of hydrogen is that it can be produced on site instead of being transported as fuel or supplied through the grid like electricity.

Hydrogen car models today are very expensive, surpassing the price of an electric car, as the materials used to make catalysts are very expensive. But as technology improves, prices will fall. After all, we must not forget that hydrogen fuel cells are a technology that is still in development and the companies that deal with it are gradually improving their know-how, expecting them to have a market share.

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