Previously, we’ve shown the spotlight on how electric cars work. Today we’ll be focusing on another alternative, which is the use of hydrogen fuel cells to power up the vehicles. Hydrogen cars are a new type of vehicle that runs on hydrogen fuel cells. The technology behind these cars is actually quite simple-hydrogen is stored in tanks, and when it comes into contact with oxygen, it creates electricity to power the car.
Hydrogen fuel cells have been around for a long time, but they have only recently become popular as an alternative to traditional gasoline-powered cars.
There are many benefits to using hydrogen cars instead of regular cars-they produce zero emissions, they are more efficient than gas cars, and they can be powered by renewable energy sources like solar or wind power.
To learn more about how hydrogen cars work, keep reading!
The Technology Behind Hydrogen Cars
A hydrogen car uses a fuel cell to run. The fuel cell is powered by the catalytic reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, which creates electricity and pure H 2 gas.
This gas goes into the metal container known as the fuel cell, where it combines with oxygen from the air to create more electricity. The only byproduct of this process is pure water!
How Do Hydrogen Fuel Cells Work?
Hydrogen fuel cells work similarly to batteries and other types of fuel cells. This is a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen (or water) that creates electricity and heat.
Most cars that run on gasoline combust it with oxygen from the air, which produces carbon dioxide as a by-product. In a hydrogen car, the only byproduct is water vapor because the hydrogen reacts with oxygen in the air.
Hydrogen fuel cells work like this: hydrogen is pumped into a cell with a membrane between the anode and cathode. When the hydrogen enters the cell, it meets up with oxygen from the air to form water on one side of the membrane-this creates electricity and heat, which is why things in cars can get hot when they run.
Challenges Of Hydrogen Fuel Cars
Hydrogen fuel cells have been around for a long time, but they haven’t been used in cars until recently because the technology wasn’t efficient enough to create a car that would run on hydrogen alone.
The first major challenge to using hydrogen as an alternative form of fuel is producing it in a cost-effective way. Hydrogen must be separated from water, and this requires electricity. The electricity needed to do this comes from another energy source like solar power or wind power-but there aren’t many places that have easy access to these renewable sources of energy right now. So until more countries invest in alternative forms of energy, producing hydrogen will continue to be expensive and impractical.
The second challenge is storing hydrogen properly so it can be used by drivers. Right now, there are only a small number of locations where hydrogen fuel cells are available for use because storage is still an issue. If car manufacturers built vehicles with larger tanks to store hydrogen, then at least three times more hydrogen could fit into the cars.
But that’s just not practical right now since it would take up too much space and increase the weight of the vehicle. That would affect how long the car can drive before running out of gas.
Drivers Can Use Hydrogen Or Gasoline For Fuel
The main idea behind hydrogen fuel cells is that they are alternatives to gasoline-powered vehicles, but many drivers have found that both types of cars work well for them depending on what kind of trips they’re taking.
One downside to hydrogen cars is that they cost more than traditional gas-powered cars, but people like them because they are good for the environment and they provide savings when it comes time to refill the tank.
Choosing between a hydrogen car or a gas-powered car really depends on the driver’s lifestyle and what type of trips he or she takes. Some people choose to use both types of vehicles, like owning an electric vehicle for work and using a hydrogen car on weekends to save money at the pump! Whatever you want in your next car will determine if you should consider buying a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.
Hydrogen Fuel Cars Allow For A Greener Future
People have been working on finding greener energy sources for decades. Many feel that traditional gasoline-powered cars contribute to pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. However, others believe electric vehicles are much more environmentally friendly. Using hydrogen fuel cells in your car can help you find a happy medium between these technologies.
Hydrogen is non-toxic when it combusts making it much less harmful than gasoline or electricity production when considering environmental impact. Also, many industries today are turning to renewable forms of energy like solar power because they don’t rely on fossil fuels to produce this power. It is important to be aware of your energy consumption in your daily life, especially in the transportation industry.
