Vehicles fueled by hydrogen don’t require charging like a battery-electric vehicle does. They are refueled using hydrogen gas, which is pumped in the same secure and practical manner as a typical petrol or diesel car. The same length of time is required for filling up, between 3 and 5 minutes for a full tank.
Over 100 hydrogen fueling stations are already operational in Europe, and a pan-European program is already under progress to open more each year.
Are you still unsure about how to charge a hydrogen vehicle? See below for responses to some more frequently asked questions about fuel cell electric vehicles.
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What is the cost of charging a Toyota Mirai?
In a perfect world, refueling a hydrogen car should take about the same amount of time as refueling a gasoline or diesel vehicle. Since the fuel is under pressure (up to 10,000 psi), you must lock the nozzle in place, but after you do that, you should be good to go. The pressure at the station, however, may really drop off momentarily if there are multiple automobiles waiting in line for hydrogen, slowing down everyone. If multiple cars use it in a sequence, the nozzle may also freeze, adhering to the cars and making removal more difficult until it thaws out.
Currently, it can be expensive to fill up a car with hydrogen, in part due to the lack of infrastructure. For instance, refueling the Mirai would run you roughly $90 per throw if you had to pay for it (by the kilogram). However, if all goes according to plan, you can drive around releasing only water, which is a pleasant perk.
Watch Tommy’s video below for additional information on the Mirai and what it’s like to live with it:
How is a hydrogen fuel cell charged?
A hydrogen FCV may be fueled similarly to how you would refuel your car. Fill the tank by simply connecting a nozzle from an approved hydrogen dispenser at a public station. FCVs may be refueled in as little as 5 minutes, and the refueling times are similarly comparable.
Some FCVs have fuel efficiency close to 70 MPGe and can go over 300 miles on a single tank of hydrogen fuel, which is more than the distance between St. Louis and Chicago (miles per gasoline gallon equivalent).
Why is the Mirai priced so low?
The Toyota Mirai is one of only two hydrogen-powered automobiles that are currently being produced, making it relatively special. Although hydrogen technology is by no means new, it has only ever been utilized in concept cars, which makes Mirai a unique automobile.
We must examine every facet of operating and maintaining a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle in order to comprehend why the Mirai is so inexpensive (FCV). Even if you have no plans to purchase a Mirai, I urge you to read this article because the concept behind it is both fascinating and ground-breaking.
The simple answer is that the Mirai is affordable due to the significant incentives provided when purchasing a new model, the most popular three-year lease with free fuel, a dearth of charging stations, and some consumer skepticism over the technology.
Is hydrogen fuel less expensive than regular fuel?
Although hydrogen fuel is four times more expensive than gasoline and about $16 per gallon, it is far more efficient than gasoline. The cost of a fillup is high even though hydrogen cars, which have electric engines, have cruising ranges that are more than 350 miles longer than any battery-electric and some gas-powered vehicles.
The financial blow has been considerably mitigated by incentives. The state offers a $4,500 clean-car refund, and manufacturers supply refueling cards with three years’ worth of credit put on them. The first year of leasing a hydrogen vehicle, which is what most drivers do instead of buying, is mostly covered by that refund. New hydrogen vehicles cost around $60,000 and don’t come in as many model variants as battery-powered electric vehicles.
Aaron Slavin and his wife, who reside in the Altadena, California, neighborhood of Los Angeles, created a spreadsheet to analyze the benefits and drawbacks of driving a hydrogen-fueled vehicle. They came to the conclusion that keeping a gas-electric hybrid “didn’t pencil out.”
Aaron Slavin refueled his 2017 Toyota Mirai at a one-bay hydrogen pump concealed at a typical gas station in South Pasadena and declared, “I’m a big fan of this car; I preach about them.
Slavin, a producer of performing arts, claimed that because of his employment, lack of frequent commuting, and backup hybrid SUV, he is an ideal fit for the vehicle.
Last year, a fuel manufacturing facility explosion restricted supply for months, leaving some hydrogen stations with empty tanks, leaving some drivers stranded or demanding lengthy treks to alternate stations, making the second car essential. Slavin turned to a smartphone app that offered a real-time inventory of fuel at each station in response to the issue, which some drivers dubbed the “hydropocalypse.”
Although the gasoline issue has been fixed, it prompted a concern. Our lease expires in April, so I really need to consider our options, Slavin added. ” The automobile is nice, however the fuel situation worries me.
Hydrogen energy production has long been an alluring objective. After all, hydrogen is the most common element in the universe, it is lightweight and energy-dense, and when used in transportation, it doesn’t release greenhouse gases but rather little pools of water instead.
But this clean-burning fuel has a carbon history. About 95% of hydrogen fuel is created via an energy-intensive method that relies on methane, the deadliest of the planet-warming gases, even though once it is formed it drives zero-emission electric motors. Because of this, it is challenging for certain environmental organizations to promote hydrogen vehicles.
Director of the Sierra Club in California Kathryn Phillips said, “We need to remove methane out of the system, not create a dependency on creating more. ” The current utilization of state subsidies for hydrogen fuel cells is not the ideal one when seen from an environmental perspective.
Two responses are given by supporters: Why not trap and use the methane that is currently being released unregulated into the environment from landfills and oil and gas plants while the state makes the transition to a zero-carbon economy? Why not switch to a technique that doesn’t use methane and uses the state’s excess solar energy instead, making the manufacturing clean and environmentally friendly?
Hydrogen vehicles can’t compete in a key area: price, while having benefits over battery electrics or gasoline automobiles in terms of quicker filling, less weight, and greater range. The cost of a typical municipal bus could be $450,000. Similar standards for a hydrogen bus cost more like $1 million.
Lewis Fulton, a specialist in transportation at UC Davis, claims that hydrogen “presents numerous separate chicken-and-egg challenges simultaneously.
He asserted that there won’t be more hydrogen fuelling stations until there are more vehicles built and bought. Furthermore, unless there are sufficient gas stations, customers might be concerned about getting stranded and may not feel safe operating the vehicles.
The only solution, according to Fulton, is a really strong policy push. “In the state, there is already one going on, but I’m not sure if it’s big enough.
As part of its ongoing conflict with the Trump administration, which last year took away the state’s jurisdiction to establish its own tailpipe pollution rules, California’s efforts to promote the market for hydrogen cars could be hindered. Car manufacturers who supported looser emissions regulations with the federal government will pay a price by having their vehicles removed from the state’s fleet.
Toyota, which sided with Washington, would be excluded at a time when the business is stepping up its hydrogen program and is anticipated to dramatically increase customer awareness of hydrogen vehicles due to its position as a major multinational automaker.
Supporters played minimized the problem. Eckerle acknowledged that there was an issue. He continued, however, that there has been no sign from automakers that they plan to back out of their commitment to producing hydrogen-powered vehicles.
Can a hydrogen vehicle be charged at home?
A three-car garage-sized space and nearly a million dollars’ worth of equipment would be needed to fill up a hydrogen car at home. Or, you could simply plug an electric vehicle into a power socket.
What is hydrogen power?
The most prevalent element on Earth is hydrogen, which may be found in water, natural gas, coal, and petroleum. It must be extracted from either water or fossil fuels for industrial uses. In a fuel cell, the hydrogen is mixed with oxygen to create water, or H2O, which can be used to power a car, a home’s heating system, or an industry. For storage or transportation, hydrogen can be kept as a liquid, for instance in the fuel tank of a hydrogen-powered car.
How do hydrogen-powered vehicles work?
Hydrogen vehicles use a fuel cell to generate energy internally, as opposed to battery electric vehicles, which draw their power from an internal battery that is charged by an external power source. Through a process known as reverse electrolysis, hydrogen stored in the fuel tank of the car reacts with oxygen in the fuel-cell stack to create electrical energy, heat, and water.
Electricity either powers the vehicle’s electric motor directly or charges a battery that stores the energy until it is needed, while heat and water are released through the exhaust as water vapour. As the fuel cell in a hydrogen-powered automobile constantly recharges the battery, the battery in a completely electric car is significantly larger and heavier.
What emissions do they produce?
Hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicles, like standard electric vehicles, don’t emit any greenhouse gases. A hydrogen-powered vehicle only produces water vapour that is technically safe to drink out its tailpipe, along with a small amount of heat.
The Hyundai Nexo SUV (pictured) and Toyota Mirai sedan are the only two hydrogen-powered vehicles on the market in Australia right now, but they are not yet offered for private sales.
Are they safe?
Many people associate hydrogen-powered vehicles with the Hindenburg tragedy (in which a hydrogen-filled German airship exploded in the United States in 1937, killing 36). They are, however, just as secure as regular EVs and cars running on gasoline and diesel. The energy and explosive potential of a typical gasoline fuel tank is up to four times more than that of a hydrogen fuel-cell tank.
How is the hydrogen stored?
In a vehicle fueled by hydrogen, the liquid hydrogen is often kept in thick-walled tanks under the cargo area behind the back seat. The tanks have undergone extensive crash testing and have been built to withstand damage. Additional safety features guard against leaks and explosions. For instance, Hyundai claims that in the event that a hydrogen-powered car catches fire, a sensor mechanism will compel the hydrogen to be forcedly released from the tank into the atmosphere before the temperature rises to a risky level. It claims that even if the car is burned, the tank won’t blow up. In the case of a hydrogen leak, sensors will find it, sealing valves and fuel lines and sounding an alert.
Is hydrogen power truly green?
The Australian Hydrogen Council claims that fossil fuels are where the majority of the hydrogen that is consumed today is produced. However, if the energy needed for electrolyzing water to separate it into hydrogen and oxygen originates from green energy sources like wind or solar, the resulting hydrogen is carbon emission-free. Carbon capture and storage, one of the policies the government is exploring as part of the Technology Investment Roadmap, can also be used to make hydrogen from fossil fuels.
Do we have hydrogen-powered vehicles in Australia?
The Hyundai Nexo SUV and the Toyota Mirai sedan are the two current models in Australia, but they are not yet accessible for private sales. The Toyota Mirai is being tested by organizations like AusNet Services, Mondo, Moreland City Council, and Hydrogen Mobility Australia as part of the automaker’s hydrogen loan program. Hyundai offers loans for the Nexo, and the ACT government has access to a fleet of 20 vehicles that came to Australia in June.
How do they stack up against battery electric vehicles?
The driving range of hydrogen automobiles is often greater than that of battery electric cars. The Toyota Mirai has a range of 550 kilometers, compared to the Hyundai Nexo’s 666 kilometers before it needs to be refueled. Typically, a tank of gasoline will allow an automobile to travel 400 to 600 kilometers. The size of the battery affects the driving range of battery-powered cars. For instance, the Nissan Leaf has a range of 270 kilometers while the Tesla Model S Long Range has a range of 610 kilometers. Depending on the speed of the charging point and the size of the battery, recharging an EV battery can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours. A hydrogen-powered passenger car can be refueled at a station in three to five minutes.
Will hydrogen-powered passenger cars take off in Australia?
Hydrogen-powered vehicles are anticipated to remain a niche market for the foreseeable future due to a lack of refueling infrastructure, a relatively high purchase price, and a faster uptake of battery electric vehicles. According to Fiona Simon of the Hydrogen Council, the infrastructure needed to refuel hydrogen vehicles will be heavily reliant on investment.
She claims that members of the Hydrogen Council are collaborating with other organizations and governments to expand hydrogen refueling across the nation. This is by no means a simple task, and it will take time, but we think that as momentum for hydrogen increases in mobility applications, we’ll see a faster rollout of infrastructure and a larger uptake in communities.
Another obstacle is that because Australia is a low-volume market, it is challenging for foreign manufacturers to present a compelling financial case for hydrogen-powered vehicles here. The only international automakers to yet to commit to producing hydrogen-powered cars for Australia are Hyundai and Toyota. While Mercedes-Benz and Honda have been in the game for a while, Audi and BMW are currently working on hydrogen-powered vehicles. Recently, Benz made the announcement that it would concentrate its efforts on collaborating with Volvo Trucks to develop fuel-cell technology for big trucks. Future fuel-cell technology is being developed by Honda and General Motors.
Toyota currently has a mobile refueling station for its fleet of Mirais, and it is constructing a $7.4 million Hydrogen Centre in Altona that will include a refueling station.
Are there any hydrogen-powered vehicles built here?
New Australian automaker H2X stated earlier this year that it would start making hydrogen-powered SUVs and heavy-duty industrial vehicles in Port Kembla, New South Wales. The Snowy midsize SUV is planned to go on sale in 20222023 and will have a 650kilometer driving range.
Are hydrogen cars common overseas?
Manufacturers provide hydrogen-powered cars for sale in Japan, South Korea, Europe, and some US states, although sales are modest when compared to battery-powered cars. Only 8500 hydrogen vehicles have been sold in California, the state having the largest market for them, compared to 500,000 battery electric vehicles. 7000 hydrogen-powered automobiles have been purchased by Chinese consumers compared to four million battery- and plug-in-hybrid-powered vehicles.
How do you refuel hydrogen-powered vehicles?
Like battery electric vehicle charging stations, hydrogen refueling stations can be separate facilities or integrated into regular gas stations. Pumps for generating hydrogen resemble public charging stations for electric vehicles.
There is only one permanent hydrogen refueling station in Australia for now, and it is located in the Sydney headquarters of Hyundai. Toyota presently uses a mobile refueling station for its fleet of Mirais, but it is also constructing a $7.4 million hydrogen center in Altona that will include a refueling station.
Before the year is through, Canberra will welcome Australia’s first public hydrogen refueling station, which will serve the Nexo fleet. As a result of the collaboration between the ACT government, ActewAGL, and renewable energy producer Neoen, hydrogen will be electrolyzed on-site utilizing grid-supplied electricity and town water.
For Sydney, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania, additional public refueling stations are planned.
Is hydrogen technology better suited to heavy vehicles?
Many industry leaders believe hydrogen makes more sense for heavy-duty commercial vehicles and transportation. Scott Nargar, Senior Manager of Future Mobility and Government Relations at Hyundai Australia, believes that everything that currently uses gasoline will eventually operate on batteries, while everything that currently uses diesel will eventually run on hydrogen. In the future, the majority of passenger cars and SUVs will be battery-powered, while light and large commercial vehicles will operate on hydrogen. The development of hydrogen trucks is now underway at various levels at Hyundai, Toyota/Hino, Kenworth, Daimler/Volvo, and US startup Nikola.
According to Scott, hydrogen fuel cells are better suited to powering large loads. “You want trucks and buses that are hauling heavy loads to be refueled rapidly. In 10 minutes, a hydrogen bus can refill with 50 kg of hydrogen. With a charger, an electric bus will take much longer. Additionally, batteries are heavy and take up a lot of space. According to reports, a vehicle needs seven tonnes of batteries to perform the same tasks as a typical truck.
How much do hydrogen-powered vehicles cost and are they worth the money?
Due to the Mirai or Nexo’s lack of a price, this is still somewhat of a mystery. The suggested retail prices for both models are approximately 66,000 and US$66,000, or A$118,000 and A$84,000, respectively.
Toyota has not yet disclosed the price of refueling at its planned station, and ActewAGL claims that one of the project’s important results will be the long-term running costs of hydrogen refueling stations.
In the US, refueling a hydrogen-powered vehicle costs roughly US$16 per kilogram (A$23), or about A$138 to fill the Nexo’s 6.3-kilogram tank. That costs far more than filling up a Santa Fe large SUV with gasoline (around $85) or charging a normal battery-powered electric vehicle (up to $25 at a public charging station for a Hyundai Kona Electric).
Of course, costs would drop if hydrogen takes off and the cars get greater traction. According to a California Energy Commission analysis, gasoline and hydrogen could cost about the same by 2025.