Fuel cells don't need to be recharged periodically like batteries, but instead they continue to produce electricity as long as a fuel source is provided. The FCV refueling process is quite similar to that used by drivers of conventional gasoline-powered internal combustion engine vehicles. Drivers of vehicles powered by H2 must go to a gas station to refuel their tanks. Where hydrogen needs the right amount of air, the right amount of hydrogen and the right spark to ignite, it's a very safe fuel when it comes to fuels.
Department of Energy: Fuel Cell Vehicles Federal government website that provides an overview of fuel cell technology and a comparison of available models. Hydrogen enters the anode, where it comes into contact with a catalyst that promotes the separation of hydrogen atoms into an electron and a proton. While purchasing a fuel cell car may cost more than buying a comparable sized conventional car, current leasing packages often include fuel, service and maintenance to compensate. This battery, known as a maximum power battery, is significantly smaller and therefore lighter than the battery of a fully electric car, since the fuel cell constantly recharges it.
The fuel cell doesn't burn the gas, but instead draws hydrogen from an onboard tank and chemically fuses it with oxygen to produce water. Hydrogen is flammable, as shown, but an uncontrolled reaction of hydrogen and oxygen in the operation of an FCEV is practically impossible. The few fuel cell vehicle models that are already available on the market cost around 80,000 USD for a mid-range or upper-middle range vehicle. Hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, is one of the cleanest and most environmentally friendly fuels for powering cars, called fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).
Put the dust cover back on, close the door and you're ready to go, so that when you arrive at a hydrogen service station, it looks very similar to a regular gas station and the whole process is also very similar. Another reason for the high purchase price is that cars with hydrogen fuel cells are usually quite large because hydrogen tanks take up a lot of space. Most hydrogen stations have two different refueling nozzles, one that provides 35 megapascals (MPa) of fuel and another that provides 70 MPa of fuel. Fuel cell cars run on compressed hydrogen gas that is introduced into an integrated fuel cell that doesn't burn the gas, but instead transforms the chemical energy of the fuel into electrical energy.
The amount of emissions associated with the production of hydrogen fuels depends on the source of hydrogen and the production method. The council believes that hydrogen is not only a sustainable means of propulsion in the future for fuel cell vehicles, but also as a source of clean energy for heating, electricity and industry.
