FEATURE |
Though hydrogen fuel cell cars are widely considered too complicated for mass adoption, manufacturers such as Toyota, which debuted its second-generation hydrogen Mirai at the Tokyo Motor Show are adamant that the technology is better for the environment than battery electric vehicles.
the future of cars
S V C I R T ELEC ROGEN HYD
ducing rucial to re n for c is g n ri moto optio -emission proving a popular les here zero w re ctric vehic a d le rl e rs o a w ry c e ic tt a tr In a b c le r, e e wev battery mers. Ho tprint. pollution, their custo arbon foo d c n r a u o rs y e e c u d re carmak to only way aren’t the
Carmakers have experimented with hydrogen vehicles for decades, using fuel cells to convert the most abundant substance in the Universe into electric energy. Hydrogen fuel cell cars have batteries onboard which store hydrogen and oxygen and power the vehicle with chemical reactions between the two elements to create water and energy. Sometimes known as fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), they have exhaust pipes but the only thing that escapes from them is water. The cars need refuelling, but with hydrogen rather than petrol or diesel fuel. For each fill of hydrogen, the car will gain 320-405km
RANGE Range really depends on the vehicle you purchase – and the general rule of “you get what you pay for” rings true here. The more expensive mass-produced electric cars tend to offer battery ranges of about 500 kms. For instance, the $140k Tesla Model S Long Range has a range of 600 kms. Other cars, however, can cost significantly less yet offer half the range. The Nissan Leaf for example, comes with a $50K price tag and a realworld range of 250klms. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles tend to be more frugal than their battery electric counterparts. The Hyundai Nexo comes with a real-world range of 666kms and filling up takes just five minutes, whereas electric charging can be an hour-long affair at the best of times. As hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are still in their infancy, there aren’t any models at the budget end of the market. But on range alone, hydrogen seems to have the upper hand.
WINNER: HYDROGEN
EMISSIONS It’s a common misconception that electric and hydrogen cars are zero emissions. While no gasses are emitted from their exhausts, the manufacturing process for both types of vehicle still results in CO2 being pumped into the atmosphere. Manufacturing a lithium-ion battery for an electric car is a “very energy-intensive” process. As an example, a 100kWh battery will give a potential range of 400 kms and, in order to produce that battery, it will take around 20 tonnes of CO2. A typical battery lasts for 245,000kms, so that equates to around 83g/km of CO2. Then, when you take into account charging over that same distance, the same battery car will deliver 124g/km of CO2 over its lifetime.
>> timeline: electric car history (part 1)
12
Dr. Ferdinand Porsche builds his first car, the Egger-Lohner Model C.2 Phaeton, which is powered by electricity.
SMALL-SCALE
1 95 9
Famed English inventor Thomas Parker creates the first commercially viable electric car. It attracts little interest however.
RISE OF ELECTRIC CAR
1900s
Thomas Davenport of Vermont builds the first useful electric motor. He reportedly uses one of his new motors to power a small carriage.
PORSCHE’S FIRST CAR
1 89 8
FIRST ELECTRIC CAR
1 88 4
1 83 4
FIRST ELECTRIC MOTOR
Electric cars rise to prominence as more viable alternatives to steam cars, which can take 45 minutes to start, and gasoline cars, which have to be cranked to start plus complicated gear shifting.
During the late 1950s and throughout the ‘60s, various startup automakers attempt to popularise electric cars, but none really gain traction.
