Are hydrogen cars more environmentally friendly than EVs?

Are hydrogen cars more environmentally friendly than EVs? I don’t know and there is a difference of opinion between the experts so how are we, the public, to know? This science is going to very complicated and to decide which is better, EVs or hydrogen care, will need some serious calculations.

Are hydrogen cars better for the environment than EVs?
Are hydrogen cars better for the environment than EVs?

This confusion is highlighted in an article in The Times today, Tuesday, July 16, 2024. The story concerns Toyota’s contribution to the Paris Olympic Games. They are providing 2,650 vehicles of which 500 will be Toyota Mirais, a hydrogen car. They emit no CO2 and those used for the Olympics will run on green hydrogen, which is produced with renewable energy.

This is in line with the Olympic Committee’s desire to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50% in comparison with the 2012 London or 2016 Rio games.

The Mirais is being touted by Toyota as highly environmentally friendly. But more than 100 scientists have criticised the Olympic Committee’s choice of hydrogen-powered cars to transport athletes from their apartments to the Olympic Games saying that they are nothing like as environmentally friendly as is claimed.

The scientists have written an open letter. They are led by David Cebon, a professor of mechanical engineering at Cambridge University. They say that the decision to use these hydrogen cars at the Olympics will “damage the reputation of the 2024 games”.

The letter is critical of Toyota’s Mirais. The letter states that green hydrogen-powered fuel-cell vehicles “require three times more renewable electricity than equivalent battery electric vehicles”.

And they add that about 99% of hydrogen today “is made from fossil fuels without carbon capture and storage and consequently the global hydrogen market emits approximately the same emissions as the global aviation industry. Hydrogen cars are not a viable net-zero solution. Because of the high cost and poor availability of fuel, sales of hydrogen cars are in rapid global decline.”

H2 Today a website created by a hydrogen consultancy stated that the criticism was unfounded and indeed absurd and that the professor is “not particularly qualified in hydrogen”.

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I asked Google AI bit, Gemini, the following question:

Is it true that green hydrogen-powered fuel-cell vehicles require three times more renewable electricity than equivalent battery electric vehicles?

The response:

Yes, that is a common claim made by many experts regarding green hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles compared to battery electric vehicles. Here’s the reasoning behind it:

  • Energy inefficiency: The process of creating green hydrogen through electrolysis (splitting water with electricity) and then converting it back to electricity in a fuel cell for the car loses a significant amount of energy. Estimates suggest this can be around a 60% loss in efficiency.
  • Battery vs. Hydrogen storage: Batteries are more efficient at storing energy than compressed hydrogen gas. This means more of the initial clean electricity gets used for propulsion in a battery electric car.

Here are some sources that discuss this point:

  • An open letter from scientists critical of hydrogen cars for the Paris Olympics states this inefficiency and argues for focusing on EVs.
  • Several news articles discuss this as a disadvantage of hydrogen cars, citing concerns from experts.

It’s important to note that hydrogen fuel cell technology is still under development, and there may be improvements in efficiency in the future. However, for now, it appears that EVs require less renewable electricity to achieve the same range.

And, I asked: Which is more environmentally friendly? The EV or the hydrogen car?

The response:

Both electric vehicles (EVs) and hydrogen cars are considered to be more environmentally friendly than traditional gasoline-powered vehicles. However, EVs currently have the edge for a few reasons:

  • Energy Efficiency: EVs are more efficient at converting energy into power. An EV can convert around 80% of the electricity from the grid into power for the wheels, while a hydrogen car only converts about 40% of the energy used to create the hydrogen into power.
  • Existing Infrastructure: EVs can be charged using the existing electricity grid, while hydrogen stations are scarce. Creating a widespread hydrogen infrastructure would require a significant investment of resources.

However, hydrogen cars do have some advantages:

  • Refueling Time: Hydrogen cars can be refueled in about 5 minutes, similar to a gasoline car, whereas charging an EV can take much longer, depending on the charger used.
  • Driving Range: Hydrogen cars tend to have a longer driving range than most EVs, although this gap is closing as battery technology improves.

So, while hydrogen cars have the potential to be environmentally friendly, for now EVs are the more practical and eco-friendly choice.

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