Hydrogen fuel cells may still have the last laugh over battery EVs
January 24, 2019Toyota’s Fuel Cell system development boss believes fuel cells will eventually have their day in the sun.
There has long been a heated debate between those who are proponents of battery electrics and those who are proponents of hydrogen fuel cells. While battery supporters tend to believe that electric vehicles (EVs) being powered by something other than batteries is ridiculous, fuel cell proponents feel that fuel cell technology is a big part of the future of zero-emission transportation. Professor Katsuhiko Hirose, head of Toyota’s Fuel Cell system development is one of these fuel cell supporters.
“Battery bullies” are right to fear the potential of hydrogen fuel cells.
Big name battery supporters tend to be very vocal about how silly they think hydrogen fuel cells are. Take Tesla’s Elon Musk for example. On more than one occasion Musk has made fun of the idea of fuel cells, openly calling them “incredibly dumb,” “mind-bogglingly stupid,” and even “fool cells.”
Yet, in a recent exclusive interview with Hirose, The Drive’s Bertel Schmitt revealed that Hirose believes Musk may have a reason to be “afraid” of the fuel cell.
The reason, according to Hirose, is that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will be cheaper than gasoline-powered cars one day. This would open up zero-emission transportation to people around the world. It would not be reserved only for those with rich pockets who can afford battery EVs, which are dependent on both government support and scarce natural resources.
However, Hirose, a physicist and engineer, didn’t always believe in the future of hydrogen fuel cells.
When Toyota first stared exploring the idea of using hydrogen fuel cells, Hirose said he initially questioned it because he knew hydrogen was an energy and required energy to be generated. Therefore, he wondered where the hydrogen would come from and where it would be stored. At that time, a realistically safe, large-scale storage system did not exist. Interestingly, however, it would later be Hirose who would develop this much-needed advanced hydrogen storage.
In his exclusive and in-depth interview with Hirose, Schmitt noted that Hirose admitted he did not like the term “hydrogen society.”
“Hydrogen society means we fully bet on hydrogen. Instead, we should bet on a portfolio of solutions for a sustainable society,” Hirose told Schmitt.
“Of course, the government can incentivize, but in the long term, we need to provide what the customer likes to choose.”
Hirose believes that when it all comes down to it, it’s not about batteries vs hydrogen fuel cells: “It is about sustainable, zero emission transportation, and about customer choice.”
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In this one respect, I wonder what the H___ musk is talking about? Look at all the batteries stuffed inside his vehicles, each one tailored to meet the needs of safe and with many productive years of usage as well? But at what expense? The batteries are the biggest part of the cost! Then when something goes wrong with the batteries, the cost of maintenance could be astronomical! Then the weight of all those batteries also adds to the strain on the batteries and all other internal systems, which will lead to a quicker “Rundown” of the battery system, if not place the whole system in a dangerously unsafe place, where too much heat can lead to “Sensor” disintegration, fire, and other issues? It might be safe to say that only one or two Fuel cells would be required in a vehicle, which would erase the safety issue and make the Vehicle a whole lot cheaper? Now I may be looking at the issue too extremely, but I only have my common sense to guide me as of now!! IMO only
The headline seems misleading. This article doesn’t provide any strong argument that can convince me that the Hydrogen fuel cells would beat the batteries. Or maybe I have missed it, can someone please enlighten me?
The argument is made in the linked interview article. 3rd paragraph.