Everyone who cares about the future of our planet probably accepts the fact that we must transition away from gasoline powered vehicles. Because of TESLA and the focus of mass media, you’re probably assuming the future will be electric vehicles. Don’t be so sure, because many people believe Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicles are a much better option, for both the environment and the consumer. A significant number of car companies are working on HFC vehicles. I could print the list, but I’m not doing such. Please take my word for it, the list is quite long.

I’m going to talk about this choice, and why I hope it will be the Hydrogen Fuel Cell which dominates the future of America, but I must begin with two caveats.

1. Technology changes rapidly, so if something totally unexpected happens in the next few years, that could change the equation big time.
2. I am not an engineer, so don’t rely upon my technical analysis.

Before we start the comparison, we need to explain how a Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicle works and why it’s an ecofriendly option. A Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicle combines hydrogen with oxygen to produce electricity, which powers the electric motor. Here’s the good news. The only byproduct of this process is H2O (water). Both Hydrogen Fuel Cell and Electric Vehicles have comparable or better performance than a gasoline powered car.

Negative Aspects of owning an electric vehicle

• The cost is obviously very high.
• Range is limited to around 250 miles.
• I’m sure this will change over the next several years, but when you must find an electric charging station, that’s a challenge. Imagine being on a long trip and you get stuck in an unexpected traffic backup on the Interstate, while your battery charge is dissipating. That isn’t a very comforting thought, is it?
• Before we get to the big downside to electric vehicles, it’s important that you understand the following. Just like your phone, you can charge the battery rapidly or you can do a slow charge.
• Why would you choose the slow charge over a rapid one?
• Because repeated rapid charging of the battery will make it wear out prematurely. If you always opt for the slow charge, the battery will have a much longer life.
• If you’re on a trip and opt for the rapid charge, it will take around an hour to charge your vehicle. Are you comfortable with that? I didn’t think so.
• If you’re home and doing a slow charge, that could take between 8-12 hours. I don’t know about you, but that’s not an appealing option for me.

Why Choose a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Over an Electric One

• Let’s acknowledge that the cost is much higher than a gasoline powered engine. Of course that could change if and when these vehicles are mass produced at a significant level.
• One reason to choose this option over an electric vehicle is range. A HFC vehicle has a range of approximately 350 miles, which is about a hundred miles more than an electric vehicle. Please understand, this could change as technology advances in the design of electric batteries.
• But here’s the big one. You can fill up a HFC Vehicle with Hydrogen, just as you do with gasoline. In other words, you can fill the tank in less then 4-5 minutes.
• Of course, you’re probably asking, fill up where? Obviously, America would have to make a concerted effort to build hydrogen fuel stations everywhere, just like gasoline stations.
• Hydrogen is probably the most abundant element on the planet.
• If enough people understand the advantages of Hydrogen, I think this is a very realistic possibility, but there’s a big problem.
• That problem is a chicken and egg issue. No car manufacturer is going to commit to building HFC vehicles in America, until there’s an infrastructure of hydrogen stations. Of course, nobody’s going to build that infrastructure until car manufacturers start building HFC vehicles.