Battery electric vehicle technology is being rapidly adopted, but is it the future?

Electric vehicles (EV's) are undoubtedly the future of transportation, but which technology will be used to harvest this electric power? Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV's) have developed great traction in recent years, with more competition in the BEV market and sizeable increases in demand. On the other hand, Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (HFCEV's) may provide a more sustainable and convenient mode of transport. In this article, I will provide an insight into both technologies.

How do Battery Electric Vehicles and Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles work? 🚗

It is useful to have a brief understanding of how these technologies work! Both are similar in the fact that they use an energy source to generate electricity. This electricity powers a motor which drives the wheels of the car, like an internal combustion engine in a petrol car. Of course there are many more technologies in an EV, but let's keep it simple!

BEV's use chemical energy stored in battery packs to generate electricity, like a mobile phone. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are usually used, due to their excellent energy density. The batteries can be recharged at EV charging points located around the UK, such as Tesla Superchargers.

HFCEV's use hydrogen as a fuel, like petrol is used in an internal combustion vehicle, to generate electricity. The hydrogen passes through the fuel cells, which produces an electrical current used to power the vehicle. Water vapour is emitted as a product, instead of the harmful combustion gases in a petrol vehicle. Furthermore, excess electricity can be stored in a battery pack and used at a later stage.

Why Battery Electric Vehicles? 🔋

BEV's are the more popular technology, with people all around the globe going electric. At the end of May 2021, there were 260,000 BEV's on the roads in the UK alone [1]. This includes vehicles such as the Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model S and BMW i3. But why are BEV's gaining so much traction?

Firstly, the infrastructure in the UK is much better equipped for BEV's than HFCEV's. With around 25,000 EV charging points located around the UK at present, it is relatively straight-forward for EV drivers to charge their vehicles during journeys [1]. Charging points are also easily installed because they can be connected to the grid. For example, much less construction is required for a charging point than a petrol station!

Additionally, BEV's are more readily available than HFCEV's in the market due to more companies investing into developing BEV technologies. Consequently, there are more options to suit different users (e.g. commuters, family vehicles, city drivers). The range of BEV's on the market simply cannot be matched by that of HFCEV's at present.

Why Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles? ⛽

It should be said that fuel cell technology is much safer than people would expect, as hydrogen fuel tanks have been carefully designed to minimise risks to the driver. For example, Toyota has invested heavily into developing safe hydrogen technology, in the Toyota Mirai. HFCEV's may provide a more practical and sustainable alternative to BEV's. This is due to the time taken to refuel and the emissions / waste associated with BEV's and HFCEV's.

Firstly, consider a standard 60kWh EV. There is a range of chargers available in the UK for BEV's, from slow chargers to ultra-rapid. Fully charging BEV from zero charge can take between 36mins and 15hours. This is not practical on long journeys, where multiple charges may be required, which is where HFCEV's are advantageous. The typical refueling time for a HFCEV is around a few minutes, which is more practical and saves a considerable amount of time. This is closer to the refueling time that we see with petrol vehicles! Hydrogen is also more practical for larger vehicles, such as transport trucks, due to the additional weight of large battery packs that would be required for long journeys.

Furthermore, HFCEV's do not produce toxic battery waste and there is an abundance of green hydrogen being produced. This is hydrogen that is produced electricity coming from renewables, such as solar, wind, and biomass. For this reason, particularly the waste, HFCEV's could be a more sustainable option.

The Bottom Line - Battery or Hydrogen Fuel Cell? ⚖

Each technology has its respective pros and cons, however the government will be a big player in the success of BEV's and HFCEV's. When compared to petrol and diesel vehicles, there is currently insufficient infrastructure for either technology. This is especially the case for HFCEV's, due to the lack of fueling stations. Consequently, BEV's and HFCEV's will not be desirable to many, due poor accessibility to charging / refueling stations. As a result, more initiatives and phased deliveries are required to make these technologies more desirable. However, putting this aside, here is my verdict.

Hypothetically, let's consider the same car but in two variants. One is a BEV and the other is a HFCEV, which would I choose? I would choose the Battery Electric Vehicle. This is primarily due to the infrastructure in the UK, specifically the number of charging points. I think many would agree, that HFCEV's may be more practical and sustainable, but it would be challenging to access a refueling station! This makes BEV's more desirable. However, if the hydrogen infrastructure were to develop significantly in the near-future, HFCEV's will be more competitive against the BEV market.

Is the future battery or hydrogen? 🤔

If you have made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read this post 😁 I hope you have found it insightful!

[1] Electric vehicle market statistics 2021 - How many electric cars in UK ? (nextgreencar.com)