Top 6 Barriers To Hydrogen Vehicle Adoption
Hydrogen-powered vehicles sound like futuristic inventions, but they’ve been in development for centuries. Public, private, and government entities are gradually showing greater interest in hydrogen’s potential as an alternative fuel source.
Whether combusted or fed into a fuel cell, hydrogen is quiet, light, sustainable, and only emits water vapor. Unlike fossil fuels, which require extensive drilling to reach, hydrogen surrounds us in the air and water as an ocean of untapped potential. Climate and energy experts alike include its energy in their net-zero roadmaps.
So, if hydrogen is widely renowned as a clean and climate-friendly fuel source, why isn’t it used everywhere? The answer is that, despite its powerful energy capacity, major barriers stand in the way of hydrogen vehicles achieving wider adoption.
The top six obstacles include:
- Lack of refueling infrastructure.
- High cost of hydrogen production.
- Vehicle costs.
- Energy efficiency concerns.
- Storage and transportation challenges.
- Public awareness and acceptance.
Where there are problems, innovators find solutions.
Key Barriers to Hydrogen Vehicle Adoption
Hydrogen-powered vehicles are a forward-thinking solution for transport and industry. However, significant roadblocks remain before the technology sees greater adoption.
Lack of Refueling Infrastructure
For people, businesses, and municipalities to make the switch, they’ll need reliable sources of hydrogen fuel to keep their vehicles running. Unfortunately, with few hydrogen vehicles on the road, there isn’t much demand for building new refueling stations.
This “chicken or egg” dilemma is one of the most persistent burdens on new fuel technologies. For battery electric vehicles (BEVs), this problem was so persistent that it coined the phrase “range anxiety.”
At the time of publishing, there are fewer than 80 hydrogen refueling stations in the United States, many of which are private. Most are concentrated in California—a case study on the effectiveness of active government support.
Though hydrogen infrastructure is sparse, the fuel has unique features that help to mitigate this limitation. For example, hydrogen’s high operational efficiency makes it immediately available for local operations that invest in it.
The element’s uses are not just theoretical but practical. FASTECH has developed hydrogen fuel stations for Iwatani Corporation of America (ICA), Servco, and Shell—proving that hydrogen can compete on a commercial scale. Hydrogen solutions are also a driving force behind green port initiatives that cut the international shipping industry’s emissions.
If hydrogen follows a similar path as BEVs—which currently enjoy nearly 200,000 recharging stations nationwide—these infrastructural limitations will be temporary.
High Cost of Hydrogen Production
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, virtually limitless in supply. The challenge is separating it from the other gases.
Steam methane reformation (SMR) is the most widely used hydrogen production method, accounting for about 95% of U.S. hydrogen. Unfortunately, this process uses natural gas (a fossil fuel) and produces carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO)—two greenhouse gases.
Hydrogen sourced this way is as clean to use as any other but undermines the fuel’s environmental benefits. Efforts must shift toward green hydrogen and other renewable sources to fully capitalize on the element’s carbon-cutting potential.
Each production method has pros and cons regarding scalability, affordability, eco-friendliness, and operational efficiency. The most popular compromise is electrolysis, a zero-emission but energy-intensive alternative that renders hydrogen from water.
Electrolysis systems have shown promising synergies with other renewable technologies by using electricity generated by solar and wind power. However, mass hydrogen production requires a dependable energy source, making large-scale electrolysis dependent on the power grid.
The energy and financial costs of hydrogen production translates to higher fuel prices for consumers at all levels. Despite these limitations, remember that hydrogen costs are consistently dropping and that experts expect this trend to continue.
Vehicle Costs
Another barrier to transitioning is the prohibitively expensive cost of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). Not only are hydrogen-powered vehicles more costly, but maintenance and upkeep costs outpace traditional gas and diesel options.
So, why are prices so high? The top contributors are hydrogen fuel cell and storage technology, which experts estimate account for 80% of FCEV costs.
Hydrogen-powered vehicles aren’t new—such inventions were recorded in the early 1800s—but cost-reducing innovations have been slow due to a lack of funding and public interest.
These days, that’s starting to change. Automotive giants like Toyota, BMW, Hyundai, and Honda have all begun working with the promising technology. Meanwhile, government investments are accelerating research and results.
This rapid upscale in funding has led to technological improvements and cost reductions in renewable hydrogen production, storage, and transportation. With continued support, FCEVs are expected to reach cost parity with their internal combustion engine counterparts, perhaps even surpassing their affordability by 2050.
Energy Efficiency Concerns
As a fuel source, hydrogen is energy-dense by mass but not volume. In other words, it’s lightweight and quickly consumed. Less weight is good, but fast consumption creates higher demands for space and refueling frequency.
Fuel cells require a sizable storage tank to feed them, but there are practical limits on maximum size. This makes the balance between fuel storage capacity and space efficiency tricky for engineers.
Another key measure to consider is energy conversion efficiency. All fuel sources lose energy through heat conversion and system inefficiencies. FCEVs achieve energy efficiency rates around 40-60%, outperforming conventional fuels but falling short of BEVs.
These measures are well and good, but most fleet and logistics managers care more about road performance. So, how does hydrogen stack up against its competition?
Mileage varies widely, but FCEVs tend to outperform the range of their plug-in BEV counterparts. On the downside, they have lower ranges than internal combustion engines.
Hydrogen fuel’s high operational efficiency may help to offset its frequent refueling. While BEVs take hours to recharge, hydrogen refills are comparable to those of diesel or gasoline.
Fuel cells are also lighter and more compact than rechargeable batteries because electricity isn’t stored but created through a chemical reaction. This feature allows fuel cells to retain stored energy more effectively, suffering minimal self-discharge.
As the FCEV industry continues making strides, experts expect efficiency to continue improving.
Storage and Transportation Challenges
Hydrogen requires specialized storage equipment that adds to its upfront and ongoing costs. This ties into the element’s low volumetric energy density, requiring pressurized storage and transportation to be logistically feasible.
The two most common hydrogen storage methods are in compressed gas or cryogenic liquid states. Lowering hydrogen to a brisk -253°C allows it to carry more energy within a small space. The main shortcoming is the expensive equipment and energy required to maintain the cold, pressurized chamber.
This problem, too, has seen considerable innovation. Researchers have found material-based techniques—including metal hydrides, chemical carriers, and water-based gels—that could revolutionize hydrogen storage and transport. However, more research and development are required before these containment methods can be scalable for commercial use.
Public Awareness and Acceptance
Hydrogen’s reputation was marred early in its development by the infamous 1937 Hindenburg disaster. Though hydrogen as a fuel source has come a long way, a general distrust still lingers for some.
It’s true that gaseous hydrogen is flammable, and pressurized storage requires basic safety procedures. However, society comfortably co-exists with propane and other flammable fuel sources on a daily basis, with any incidents acknowledged as exceptions.
While hydrogen can fuel specialized internal combustion engines, modern interest is in fuel cells, a technology safer than gasoline and diesel fuels. They produce less heat, require more oxygen to ignite, and emit only water vapor as a byproduct.
From a broader perspective, hydrogen is superior in environmental safety. Carbon emissions and oil spills are the top ecological disasters the world faces daily. Hydrogen’s lifecycle emissions still need to be considered and improved upon, but it at least offers potential for renewable energy where fossil fuels are an inevitable dead end.
Thankfully, the public is slowly recognizing hydrogen’s potential and taking an interest in its continued development.
The Path Forward for Hydrogen Adoption
Hydrogen fuel production, infrastructure, and innovation have scored huge wins with government investments and private partnerships. As the hydrogen fuel and vehicle industry gains momentum, progress should accelerate until its adoption is on par with BEVs.
Though hydrogen and plug-in electric vehicles are competitors on the surface, they’re two sides of the same coin. Both technologies have pros and cons that make them better suited for certain applications, and both offer viable alternatives to high-emission fuels in many contexts.
Healthy competition between alternative energy sources should be viewed as positive, as all are racing to provide the most sustainable, beneficial solution to the world’s carbon crisis. Realistically, both electric batteries and hydrogen fuel cells will play crucial roles in making a greener, cleaner future.
FASTECH’s Role in Hydrogen Infrastructure Development
Hydrogen’s greatest strength is its versatility in meeting the energy needs of families and fleets alike. With a stronger foundation, hydrogen could be a top driver in the world’s sprint to net zero.
FASTECH is a leading-edge hydrogen fuel infrastructure ECP+M provider. From refueling stations to hydrogen hubs to power plants—this innovative company paves the way for a cleaner future.
Industry leaders like Chevron, Clean Energy, and Toyota recognize FASTECH’s value as a cost-effective crew of hydrogen experts.
Discover scalable hydrogen energy solutions and exceed your sustainability goals.
