Many wonder if electric vehicles (EVs) will last forever or if a better, more eco-friendly alternative will emerge. While EVs do not pollute like petrol and diesel vehicles, they still rely on expensive and rare minerals like lithium for their batteries. This brings us to a promising alternative: hydrogen fuel.
Did you know that about 80% of the energy from petrol and diesel engines is wasted? When you drive a car with petrol or diesel, only 20-25% of the energy from the fuel is used for travel. The rest is lost as heat and smoke. On the other hand, electric vehicles are cleaner, but making their batteries requires lithium, a resource needed for smartphones and other electronics. Plus, EVs take a long time to charge, and there aren’t enough charging stations to support widespread use.
Hydrogen, however, could solve many of these problems. It’s abundant on Earth, and 1.2 liters of hydrogen can be extracted from just one liter of water through electrolysis. Hydrogen can also be captured from the air, making it a nearly infinite resource. This is why researchers have been exploring hydrogen as a better, cheaper, and more efficient alternative to petrol, diesel, and electricity.
Toyota, known for creating the world’s first hybrid car, Prius, also made history with the first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, Mirai. Recently, Toyota’s chairman, Akio Toyoda, stated that the company prefers hydrogen vehicles over electric ones, which has attracted global attention. Hydrogen fuel technology offers several advantages: it can be refilled quickly, even in extreme temperatures, and it has higher mileage than battery vehicles. Unlike EVs, hydrogen vehicles do not require heavy batteries, making them suitable for long-distance travel, including for heavy trucks.
One of the most exciting things about hydrogen is its potential to reduce global pollution. If hydrogen is produced using renewable energy sources like solar or wind power, it can greatly reduce environmental damage. Countries around the world are already using hydrogen for trains, with Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, the UK, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and China operating hydrogen-powered trains. These trains are cheaper to maintain since they don’t require electric lines. In the future, hydrogen may also be used in airplanes and space experiments, as it has been successfully tested by NASA.
Though hydrogen vehicles are still expensive to produce, costs are expected to drop by 50% by 2030, making them more affordable and widely used. Last year, global sales of hydrogen fuel cells grew by 30%, and the market value reached Rs. 1.08 lakh crore. This is projected to grow to Rs. 3.32 lakh crore by 2030. Countries like Korea, Japan, and members of the European Union are working to boost hydrogen production. For instance, Korea plans to set up 1,200 hydrogen stations by 2040, while Japan aims for 900 refueling stations and 800,000 hydrogen vehicles by 2030. The European Union hopes to produce 500,000 hydrogen trucks by 2050.
Not only are governments investing in hydrogen, but major car manufacturers like Toyota, Hyundai, Honda, BMW, Mercedes, and Ford are also researching and investing in hydrogen
