Hydrogen Power Focus Shifts from Cars to Heavy Vehicles

Abstract

Hydrogen has been hailed as a promising energy carrier for decades. But compared to the thriving success of hybrid and plug-in electric cars, the prospects for cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells have recently diminished, mostly due to challenges in bringing down the costs of fuel cells and developing a broad network of fuelling stations.Beginning in March 2020, three major auto manufacturers—Daimler AG], Volkswagen, and General Motors (GM)]—followed the April 2019 move by Honda to back out of the hydrogen-powered passenger car market. Instead, these companies and others are looking to develop the technology as an emission-free solution to power heavy commercial and military vehicles, with refuelling taking place at centralized locations.