Mumbai: Achieving zero emissions in tier 1 cities of India is a distant dream with the unending petrol and diesel vehicles on the road. But this may change with the entry of hydrogen-powered vehicles and the phasing out of petrol and diesel cars. While battery electric vehicles are being touted as the gen-next vehicles, many challenges are reflected in the limited sales of electric cars.

Factors such as battery cost, disposing of used batteries, limited range, and lack of charging stations are major deterrents, despite electric vehicles becoming popular in the two-wheeler and three-wheeler segments. Until these are sorted, we wouldn’t see much uptick in the sale of four-wheelers. On the other hand, hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles offer quick refuelling, extended range, and zero tailpipe emissions, making them preferable for long-distance driving and heavy-duty applications.

Electric vehicles fail when it comes to sustainable transportation, as renewable sources alone wouldn’t suffice, and automobile manufacturers would turn to coal for powering the vehicles. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, has announced a scheme to support pilot projects for testing the sustainability of green hydrogen as a vehicle fuel and building refuelling stations. Leading automobile giants like Tata Motors, Volvo, Ashok Leyland, etc., are doing research and development to manufacture hydrogen-powered cars and buses.

The Government of India’s National Hydrogen Mission aims to promote green hydrogen production and infrastructure development. States like Kerala, for example, are leading the race by integrating hydrogen-powered vehicles into the public transport space, besides working on manufacturing hydrogen-powered boats. Although still nascent with less public awareness, continued investment and policy support may augur well for hydrogen vehicles becoming a popular choice for transport. When you look at the electric vehicles’ sales performance, the majority of sales have been in the two-wheeler segments, popular in cities like Bengaluru, as riding one can navigate in heavy traffic. In the three-wheeler segment, especially the e-rickshaws seen in Delhi, it is seen as a disaster as they move very slowly, blocking the traffic.

Are hydrogen cars more eco-friendly than electric vehicles? Could they become the top mobility solution of the future?

Hydrogen-powered vehicles use high-pressure hydrogen gas stored in tanks, which reacts with oxygen in a fuel cell to generate electricity. This process powers the motor, giving hydrogen cars the quiet, clean operation of electric vehicles while retaining some of the convenience of conventional petrol cars.

When it comes to driving range, hydrogen cars have an edge-offering around 300 miles on a full tank, compared to the 100 to 200 miles typically covered by electric cars on a single charge. While electric vehicle charging stations are steadily expanding across India, the introduction of hydrogen vehicles could drive the development of dedicated hydrogen refuelling stations, which are currently lacking.

One major advantage of hydrogen cars is their quick refuelling time – just five to ten minutes, similar to today’s petrol vehicles. In contrast, fully charging an electric car typically takes four to eight hours. Even with Tesla’s fast chargers delivering 80% charge in about 30 minutes, most other electric vehicles, including premium models like the BMW i3 and regular ones, still require several hours to recharge.

Although hydrogen is abundant, it doesn’t naturally exist in its pure form on Earth. Using it to power vehicles depends heavily on how it’s produced. Common sources include water, natural gas, fossil fuels, and biomass, each with its own environmental impact and cost implications. As these come into play, we may see a great evolution that may transform the automobile sector and give us a better tomorrow.

 

 

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