Hydrogen vehicle in the context of "Fuel cell vehicle"

Play Trivia Questions online!

 or

Skip to study material about Hydrogen vehicle in the context of "Fuel cell vehicle"
Ad spacer

⭐ Core Definition: Hydrogen vehicle

A hydrogen vehicle is a vehicle that uses hydrogen to move. Hydrogen vehicles include some road vehicles, rail vehicles, space rockets, forklifts, ships and aircraft. Motive power is generated by converting the chemical energy of hydrogen to mechanical energy, either by reacting hydrogen with oxygen in a fuel cell to power electric motors or, less commonly, by hydrogen internal combustion.

Hydrogen burns cleaner than fuels such as gasoline or methane but is more difficult to store and transport because of the small size of the molecule. As of the 2020s hydrogen light duty vehicles, including passenger cars, have been sold in small numbers due to competition with battery electric vehicles. As of 2021, there were two models of hydrogen cars publicly available in select markets: the Toyota Mirai (2014–), the first commercially produced dedicated fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), and the Hyundai Nexo (2018–). The Honda CR-V e:FCEV became available, for lease only, in very limited quantities in 2024.

↓ Menu

>>>PUT SHARE BUTTONS HERE<<<

👉 Hydrogen vehicle in the context of Fuel cell vehicle

A fuel cell vehicle (FCV) or fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) is an electric vehicle that uses a fuel cell, sometimes in combination with a small battery or supercapacitor, to power its onboard electric motor. Fuel cells in vehicles generate electricity generally using oxygen from the air and compressed hydrogen. Most fuel cell vehicles are classified as zero-emissions vehicles. As compared with internal combustion vehicles, hydrogen vehicles centralize pollutants at the site of the hydrogen production, where hydrogen is typically derived from reformed natural gas. Transporting and storing hydrogen may also create pollutants. Fuel cells have been used in various kinds of vehicles including forklifts, especially in indoor applications where their clean emissions are important to air quality, and in space applications. Fuel cells are being developed and tested in trucks, buses, boats, ships, motorcycles and bicycles, among other kinds of vehicles.

The first road vehicle powered by a fuel cell was the Chevrolet Electrovan, introduced by General Motors in 1966. The Toyota FCHV and Honda FCX, which began leasing on December 2, 2002, became the world's first government-certified commercial fuel cell vehicles, and the Honda FCX Clarity, which began leasing in 2008, was the world's first fuel cell vehicle designed for mass production rather than adapting an existing model. In 2013, Hyundai Motors began production of the Hyundai ix35 FCEV, claimed to be the world's first mass-produced fuel cell electric vehicle, which was subsequently introduced to the market as a lease-only vehicle. In 2014, Toyota began selling the Toyota Mirai, the world's first dedicated fuel cell vehicle.

↓ Explore More Topics
In this Dossier

Hydrogen vehicle in the context of Compressed hydrogen

Compressed hydrogen (CH2, CGH2 or CGH2) is the gaseous state of the element hydrogen kept under pressure. Compressed hydrogen in hydrogen tanks at 350 bar (5,000 psi) and 700 bar (10,000 psi) is used for mobile hydrogen storage in hydrogen vehicles. It is used as a fuel gas.

↑ Return to Menu

Hydrogen vehicle in the context of Traction motor

A traction motor is an electric motor used for propulsion of a vehicle, such as locomotives, electric or hydrogen vehicles, or electric multiple unit trains.

Traction motors are used in electrically powered railway vehicles (electric multiple units) and other electric vehicles including electric milk floats, trolleybuses, elevators, roller coasters, and conveyor systems, as well as vehicles with electrical transmission systems (diesel–electric locomotives, electric hybrid vehicles), and battery electric vehicles.

↑ Return to Menu

Hydrogen vehicle in the context of Hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicle

A hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicle (HICEV) is a type of hydrogen vehicle using an internal combustion engine that burns hydrogen fuel. Hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles are different from hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (which utilize hydrogen electrochemically rather than through oxidative combustion). Instead, the hydrogen internal combustion engine is simply a modified version of the traditional gasoline-powered internal combustion engine. The absence of carbon in the fuel means that no CO2 is produced, which eliminates the main greenhouse gas emission of a conventional petroleum engine.

Pure hydrogen contains no carbon. Therefore, no carbon-based pollutants, such as carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), or hydrocarbons (HC), occur in engine exhaust. However, hydrogen combustion occurs in an atmosphere containing nitrogen and oxygen, which can produce oxides of nitrogen (NOx). In this respect, the combustion process is much like other high temperature combustion fuels, such as kerosene, gasoline, diesel, and natural gas. Therefore, hydrogen combustion engines are not considered zero emission.

↑ Return to Menu

Hydrogen vehicle in the context of Bi-fuel vehicle

Bi-fuel vehicles are vehicles with multifuel engines capable of running on two fuels. The two fuels are stored in separate tanks and the engine runs on one fuel at a time. On internal combustion engines, a bi-fuel engine typically burns gasoline and a volatile alternate fuel such as natural gas (CNG), LPG, or hydrogen. Bi-fuel vehicles switch between gasoline and the other fuel, manually or automatically. A related concept is the dual-fuel vehicle which must burn both fuels in combination. Diesel engines converted to use gaseous fuels fall into this class due to the different ignition system.

The most common technology and alternate fuel available in the market for bi-fuel gasoline cars is Autogas (LPG), followed by natural gas (CNG), and it is used mainly in Europe. Poland, the Netherlands, and the Baltic states have many cars running with LPG. Italy currently has the largest number of CNG vehicles, followed by Sweden. They are also used in South America, where these vehicles are mainly used as taxicabs in main cities of Brazil and Argentina. Normally, standard gasoline vehicles are retrofitted in specialized shops, which install the gas cylinder in the trunk and the LPG or CNG injection system and electronics. The conversion is possible because the gases can use the spark ignition of a gasoline engine.

↑ Return to Menu
LINKED FROM (PARENTS)
← Compressed hydrogen ← Traction motor ← Hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicle ← Bi-fuel vehicle ← Fuel cell vehicle
LINKS TO (CHILDREN)
Delta IV Heavy → Vehicle → Hydrogen → Propulsion → Road vehicle → Rail vehicle → Space rocket → Forklift → Hydrogen-powered ship → Hydrogen-powered aircraft → Chemical energy → Mechanical energy → Fuel cell → Electric motor → Hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicle → Battery electric vehicles → Toyota Mirai → Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle → Hyundai Nexo →