Hydrogen cars: all you need to know

What is a hydrogen car? How much do they cost? How far can I drive one? We’ve got all the answers. What is a hydrogen car? Hydrogen cars use a fuel-cell system that generates electricity from a chemical reaction, which powers a motor to drive the wheels. They act and drive just like a normal car, but are much quieter and more refined. Hydrogen cars are still in their infancy, with only a few manufacturers adopting the new technology at this early stage. However, hydrogen is the simplest and most common element in the universe – and with zero tailpipe emissions (aside from heat and water), it makes absolute sense for cars of the future to run on this abundant natural gas. However, there are drawbacks – not least the price. The Toyota FCV – due on sale in September this year – is set to cost more than £40,000, and with no confirmed government incentives you’d have to be seriously committed to the cause to ever consider buying one. The Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell, available to order now does benefit from a funding grant per vehicle, but the base price of around £53,000 is still very high. In comparison, electric-car buyers currently benefit from a £5,000 plug-in car grant – significantly reducing the initial purchase price. How far can I drive a hydrogen car? The only production-ready hydrogen-fuelled car in the UK is the Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell, which the manufacturer claims can travel up to 369 miles without stopping to top up. Refuelling is as simple as it is for conventional petrol or diesel cars – although the tiny number of hydrogen filling stations limits driving range for now. Other hydrogen fuel-cell cars have a longer real-world range, but haven’t been approved for production. The Toyota FCV for example, can cover 434 miles on a single tank. General Motors (the company that sells Vauxhalls in the UK) has invested in hydrogen-fuelled cars, too. The GM HydroGen4 is an SUV said to be capable of 200 miles between fill-ups, and should go on sale in the US next year. How much does hydrogen cost? A kilogramme of hydrogen currently retails for around £4. However, a suitably equipped car should be able to travel much further on a kilo of hydrogen than it can on a litre of petrol or diesel. Figures released by ITM Power, a leading British electrolyser company, show that hydrogen works out at roughly half the price per mile of diesel. Should I buy a hydrogen car? Currently, the only production-ready hydrogen-fuelled car is the Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell and it’s available to order now from Hyundai directly. The first six have already been delivered to their new owners, but this was more of a trial than a full launch. Hyundai monitored how the cars performed ahead of the model’s rollout. The Toyota FCV is another hydrogen-fuelled car expected in the next 12 months. It initially appeared at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show, and is expected to be on sale in Japan by April 2015. A European launch is expected in September 2015. Where can I buy hydrogen? Unfortunately, you might struggle to run a hydrogen car in the UK right now. There are currently around 14 operational hydrogen filling stations in the country, and the network is slowly growing. There are three in London – three more should be in place by the end of 2015 – and one in the Outer Hebrides islands in Scotland. However, northern England and most of Scotland remains a black spot, as there are no filling stations – planned or otherwise – between Sheffield and Aberdeen. So, should you buy a hydrogen car? The simple answer is no – not yet. But as the infrastructure improves over the next few years and they become easier refuel, hydrogen cars will become a much more feasible option in the UK. Share