Will hydrogen energy vehicles work? Are they abandoned by the times or leading the way in the future?

In recent years, the consumption trend of new energy vehicles has begun to gradually catch up with traditional fuel vehicles. It shows that the development trend of the automobile industry and consumers' recognition of car purchases are gradually leaning towards the new energy field. The first vehicles that will gradually replace traditional fuel vehicles are pure electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. However, from an environmental perspective, pure electric and plug-in hybrid models still have various problems in terms of waste battery pack disposal and fuel consumption. Therefore, strictly speaking, vehicles using hydrogen fuel cells are the products of the optimal solution in all aspects from manufacturing to use to recycling. But why are fuel cell vehicles, led by hydrogen energy, still unable to achieve high popularity after so many years of development?

Before discussing this topic, let’s first take a brief look at hydrogen energy technology and the current status of several hydrogen fuel cell vehicles that have been mass-produced and on sale.

Hydrogen energy vehicles can be roughly divided into two categories. One is using hydrogen as internal combustion engine fuel to convert chemical energy into mechanical energy. Considering efficiency and other issues is currently not the main development direction of the automobile industry. The other type is to generate electricity by converting the chemical energy of hydrogen and oxygen into electrical energy. The principle is essentially the reverse reaction of electrolyzing water. Hydrogen and oxygen go to the positive and negative electrodes respectively. The hydrogen reacts with the electrolyte to release electrons. After the reaction, the hydrogen goes to the negative electrode and oxygen to form water. This is also the main technical line currently used by major vehicles. .

Compared with traditional internal combustion engines, hydrogen fuel cell technology does not have the four links of "air intake, compression, power generation, and exhaust". It generates less heat, has no friction loss, and generates electricity quickly. , the most important thing is that the conversion efficiency of more than 60% is much higher than the 30-40% of the internal combustion engine.

In addition, hydrogen energy power is also a "fuel" that has been used by humans very early, even the first vehicle. Hydrogen internal combustion vehicles appeared in the early 19th century, but due to various reasons and interests, they were buried in the long history. Since they are not related to the topic, they will not be discussed

Toyota Mirai

The Toyota Mirai is the product of more than 20 years of work and more than 5,000 patents. There are currently two generations of models. The new model has an elegant shape, exquisite interior, and rich configurations. Overall, it is consistent with Toyota's tradition. There is not much difference between fuel vehicles, but in fact, Toyota Mirai has three carbon fiber hydrogen storage tanks. Inside the cabin is an efficient hydrogen fuel cell unit, which can provide power to the vehicle’s drive motor through reaction, thus generating a maximum power of 134kW. Peak torque of 300N.m. But this is not the point because its WLTC comprehensive range reaches 850 kilometers, far exceeding conventional pure electric models, and hydrogenation only takes a few minutes.

Honda Fuel. Cell

Honda Fuel Cell is a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle that Honda has high hopes for. It also inherits Honda’s more than 20 years of experience and technology in the field of hydrogen energy. Not only does the hydrogen fuel cell unit have high reaction efficiency, The output power density is higher, and the drive motor can also output a maximum power of 130kW, which is in line with fuel models such as the Accord Civic. The comprehensive range is as high as 750 kilometers. Unfortunately, in the 5 years since it was launched, it has only completed less than 130kW. With sales of 2,000 units, it has finally withdrawn from the stage of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. But having said that, I personally think that Fuel Cell’s withdrawal from the stage of history is not entirely due to its special driving fuel. After all, the too avant-garde design will also deter many people.

Hyundai Nexo

In fact, before Hyundai Nexo, Tucson also launched a hydrogen fuel cell model, and Nexo is a product specially developed for hydrogen power. As an SUV model, Hyundai Nexo has better space performance, and the combination of hydrogen fuel cell + electric motor can output a maximum power of 120kW and a peak torque of 395N.m. The higher torque output makes it better than the former two in terms of power experience. In addition, features such as a comprehensive range of 609 kilometers and 5-minute recharge are also product advantages that ensure its sales.

In terms of sales, as of the end of March 2021, as a pioneer in the mass production of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. , the cumulative sales of Hyundai Nexo are 14,768 units, and the cumulative sales of Toyota Mirai are 13,963 units. It can be seen that even the leading product of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles does not perform well.

However, this does not mean that hydrogen fuel cells are the wrong path, because many car companies such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Nissan, and Ford have successively set foot on the technical route of hydrogen fuel cells. Although many manufacturers have withdrawn from the pure electric field, there are also products such as BMW X5 Hydrogen Energy Plan, i Hydrogen NEXT, Audi h-tron quattro and other products that are still waiting for market opportunities. The reason for this wavering situation also depends on hydrogen energy battery technology, hydrogen refueling stations and consumer awareness.

Hydrogen energy power advantages:

There is no doubt that the biggest advantage of hydrogen fuel cells in vehicles is environmental protection. In the production process, whether wind energy, water energy, solar energy, etc., water can be easily converted into electricity, and then hydrogen can be produced by electrolyzing water. Electric energy is then generated through the catalytic reaction of hydrogen and oxygen to produce water. During the cycle, there are no emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfides, carbon dioxide and other pollutants, and there is no need to add catalysts. The cycle cost and maintenance cost are lower.

Models using hydrogen energy batteries do not have as high requirements on terrain and usage environment as traditional fuel vehicles. Their driving quality is on par with electric cars and their usage environment is wider.

The refueling efficiency of hydrogen fuel is comparable to that of traditional fuel, and it can replenish energy for 500-800 kilometers in 3-5 minutes. The charging efficiency of electric vehicles is low, it is greatly affected by the environment, and its battery life varies greatly in different seasons. And even if we compare the prices, it is still much lower than the price of gasoline even in China.

In addition, the storage safety of hydrogen fuel is actually very high. It can be used in the same way as vehicles using liquefied petroleum gas, and it can also be compared with traditional fuel vehicles. If there are safety issues, many countries will not allow hydrogen fuel vehicles to hit the road. In addition, domestic hydrogen refueling stations are currently built in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Zhangjiakou, Liuzhou and other places, initially targeting the commercial market and certain groups of people. The market will gradually shift to the civilian passenger market in the future.

Disadvantages of hydrogen energy power:

Hydrogen fuel cells have higher technical requirements than pure electric power. It takes at least two generations to overcome hydrogen fuel cell technology, reaction efficiency and output power density. Product technology precipitation. Both established car companies and new entrants need to re-develop the entire powertrain, which is obviously contrary to the theory of "overtaking on corners". Companies with zero foundation not only have long development cycles but also high development costs. Mainstream suppliers also have no ready-made solutions to provide OEM manufacturers, and the entry barrier is far lower than that of pure electric new energy vehicles. Through the procurement of batteries, motors, and electronic controls, other aspects can be easily achieved by copying the procurement process of the traditional car manufacturing industry.

In addition, Japanese car companies started research and development in the field of hydrogen energy very early and occupied a large number of patents. As mentioned earlier, the Toyota Mirai model alone has more than 5,000 patented technologies, many of which The technology has not yet left the technical protection period, and the development of similar technologies has become difficult. Indirectly, many young car brands have encountered technical barriers. Capital has naturally turned to the research and development of pure electric models that are easier to implement and have a more open platform.