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They use hydrogen to produce electricity in a fuel cell, so are by definition, electric cars. Unlike natural gas which powers a car by combustion.
by Incipient 4y ago
They use hydrogen to produce electricity in a fuel cell, so are by definition, electric cars. Unlike natural gas which powers a car by combustion.
- pjc50 4y agoThe hydrogen comes from natural gas. (It can come from electrolysis, but in practice doesn't)
- mrguyorama 4y agoBy that accounting many BEVs aren't electric either.
- otterley 4y agoThat’s like saying a diesel-electric train is an electric vehicle because electric motors power the drive wheels. However, this conclusion ignores the fact the electricity is produced by combusting fossil fuel in an onboard generator.
- elteto 4y ago> That’s like saying a diesel-electric train is an electric vehicle because electric motors power the drive wheels. ...and nuclear submarines are just IP69 steam locomotives :)
- clouddrover 4y agoHydrogen fuel cell vehicles do not combust the hydrogen. A fuel cell converts chemical energy to electricity. Batteries also convert chemical energy to electricity.
- mrguyorama 4y agoI think technically the process of oxidizing the hydrogen into H2O IS combustion hah
- otterley 4y agoRemember that we're focused on mainly on climate impact here, not whether electricity is involved per se as an energy conduit or storage form. The hydrogen used to fuel an FCV has to come from somewhere, and hydrogen is generally produced from hydrocarbons using the catalytic steam-hydrocarbon process. This typically uses fossil fuels like natural gas or methane as an input, and produces CO2 as a byproduct alongside the H2. Compare with BEVs, where the energy used to power the motors can come from clean solar, wind, nuclear, or geothermal generation, without creating (as much) CO2 byproduct. (Yes, there are CO2 byproducts of producing power plants, but the goal is to minimize excess CO2 production, not eliminate it entirely.)
- clouddrover 4y ago> Remember that we're focused on mainly on climate impact here No. We're focused on whether or not hydrogen FCEVs are electric vehicles, which they are. > Compare with BEVs, where the energy used to power the motors can come from clean solar, wind, nuclear, or geothermal generation It can also come from coal and diesel and natural gas. None of this is relevant to whether or not FCEVs are electric vehicles.
- otterley 4y ago> No. We're focused on whether or not hydrogen FCEVs are electric vehicles, which they are. The root of this thread was about geopolitical issues, mining, and fossil fuels. It got sidetracked into a puerile squabble about what mechanism makes the wheels turn.
- clouddrover 4y agoYou've lost focus. FCEVs are electric vehicles. Admit to that and be happy.
- otterley 4y agoI’ll stipulate that a FCV has an electric powertrain. But so what? An electric powertrain is orthogonal to the source of its fuel and its climate impact. That’s what matters to society. Let’s not ignore the forest for the trees here.
- _hypx 4y agoNo combustion happens in a fuel cell. It is literally an electric car in the absolute sense of the word.