The world of mobility is heading towards more sustainable technologies, less polluting fuels and structural reinforcements that can be achieved by reducing the great environmental burden that internal combustion, diesel or gasoline cars have always had. But, despite the fact that everything points towards the purely electric, the hydrogen car is beginning to emerge (again) in history.
William Grove, ‘father’ of the hydrogen car
And, when talking about electromobility, most of the public thinks of vehicles with a large battery that are powered by plugging them into the current. However, there is another mobility technology in which experts have high hopes, among other reasons for offering an alternative to having to charge the battery for long hours.
We speak particularly of the hydrogen engine, also called hydrogen cell. With it, the vehicles are constituted as the new generation of electric vehicles. This cutting-edge technology relies on a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen inside fuel cells, rather than on the combustion of fossil fuels.
Although it was originally developed to power spacecraft, fuel cells currently have a much broader potential for application. History tells us that the first of these hydrogen cars appeared in 1966, with the manufacturer General Motors. However, the technology that was used was that devised in 1842 by William Grove. A Welsh physicist who implemented the first hydrogen fuel cell.
The GM vehicle and Grove technology were seen as a significant and environmentally friendly evolution of what was the first hydrogen internal combustion engine, which dates back to 1807 with Fançois Isaac de Rivaz. So as an alternative to steam enginesIt was slow, bulky and noisy, so its failure was not long in becoming apparent. So, almost 40 years later, a staging was achieved from which it has evolved to this day, now in a much more sustainable way.
Advancement of technology
With the first such engine on the table with Grove in 1842, it wasn’t until 1882 that Ludwig Mond and Charles Langer first used the term fuel cell to refer to these systems. After the first guesses, it was Thomas Bacon who built a plant that obtained energy from hydrogen and oxygen.
And from which a few years later it would begin to be used in space missions. By serving on these machines, the automotive sector was moving on this technology, but several more years had to pass. We see it with what was the first serious attempt in history on this type of hydrogen car, which was Russian.
It happened during the course of the World War II, when the first sketches of the oil crisis (which would implode in 1976) began. There, in Leningrad, the oil ran out, so a military engineer, Boris Shelishch wanted to convert a combat truck to run on hydrogen.
Operation and characteristics
To explain the operation of its technology, which has progressively advanced over time, we talk about what could be a kind of small factory of Stored energy in the car. They work with an electric motor, that is why they are also considered electric vehicles. To refer to them, the abbreviation FCEV is usually used, from Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle.
A very wide difference with what can be fully electric vehicles is that hydrogen cars produce the electricity by themselves. They do not draw power from a built-in battery, as in pure electrics or plug-in hybrids that can be recharged from an external source.
Throughout history, the hydrogen car has always been zero emissions. In that aforementioned ‘small factory’ is where the hydrogen energy from an attached tank is combined with oxygen that is injected (and purified) from the atmosphere. In the chemical reaction that occurs electricity is produced that moves the vehicle. And the only waste is the HO2 generated. Or what is the same; water that is expelled in the form of steam.
Evolution with General Motors
From there, and due to the great Russian success that incorporated hydrogen into all its war vehicles, the brands tried to create cars specifically designed to work with a hydrogen fuel cell. It was in 1933 that the project for a car powered in this way re-emerged. Norsk Hydro, an electric company, did a study with one of their small trucks.
But in his case he extracted hydrogen from a reformer that extracted it from ammonia. It didn’t work either. It is then how much the General Motors solution of 1966 gave all the fruits that were sought to be seen as a well-designed functionality for day to day, as well as a real alternative to internal combustion.
It was about GM Electrovan, for many the first car that knew how to run on hydrogen in history. This 55-year-old Electrovan was based on a large standard G-series van. The reason such a large vehicle was used is because they needed to fill in the fuel.
There was only room for two occupants, silver and zinc batteries were placed in the rear as well as large tanks that stored oxygen and liquid hydrogen. Even with all that load, the van was capable of traveling up to 240 kilometers no need to recharge.
Development and arrival in Spain
At that time it had a great acceptance, but the truth is that due to the low performance and its prices much higher than those of gasoline at that time in history, there were not many brands that were decided or opted for them. In fact, it took even more time for any manufacturer to at least try to make some guess or proof about it.
However, the truth is that it was shown that even in those that were the first hydrogen cars of the time of the 7th ‘and 80’, they could need infinitely more energy than was initially achieved with the pioneering electrified vehicles (remember that these already functioned in everyday life in the late 1890s and early 1900s).
That is why it was always so difficult to enroll with them and minimally direct the approach. From there, in 1979, only one brand was able to research and launch what could be the second hydrogen car in history. This was Suzuki, who already brought a sustainable spirit in many respects, until he came up with the LH2, a car with a hydrogen-fueled engine. Developed in conjunction with the Musashi Institute of Technology on the basis of a Suzuki Cervo, it was powered by a 539 cc three-cylinder two-stroke engine fueled with liquid hydrogen. Although its sales never reached encryption (it is believed that it had little influence on the market), the Japanese did not give up and tried, years later, the MR Wagon-FCV and SX4 FCV.
To these it should be noted that arrived in Spain in 2001, the first of presence in our country. In collaboration with the aforementioned General Motors, they have a high-performance fuel cell (83 kW) with a high-pressure hydrogen tank (70MPa). All with a lightweight and compact condenser that recovers energy in braking phases and applies it in acceleration phases. These models develop a maximum power of 68 kW and reach a maximum speed of 150 km / h with autonomies of 250 kilometers.
Hyundai nexo
Currently, the only car that is marketed in Spain with a hydrogen fuel cell is the SUV of Hyundai, the Nexus. Miso is an evolution of electric vehicles that is still a technological first worldwide. Of course, like the rest of the variant, its great advantage is autonomy.
It’s more; It has a range greater than that of any electric car: 756 km! In addition, the recharge time of the hydrogen tanks is only 5 minutes and it does not emit any pollution, only water. It offers powers of 123 kW, the equivalent of 160 hp. Its main drawbacks today are the lack of hydrogen recharging infrastructure and the durability of the fuel cell.
Toyota Mirai
Next, and not of better benefits or characteristics in this sense, we have the Toyota Mirai. This is a sedan of the Japanese brand, which is entering its second generation, and of which it now has one more hydrogen tank, with 650 km autonomy and considerably less consumption.
Its aesthetics is much more graceful, and of which its propulsion system develops 182 hp and 300 Nm. In addition, it goes from 0 to 100 km / h in nine seconds, reaches 175 km / h, increases its hydrogen capacity from 4.6 to 5.6 kilos. Although it is very well destined, in Spain it has not arrived, for the moment. Yes it does in Japan and in some European countries such as Germany or the Netherlands.
Honda Fuel
Another great alternative if you are looking for a hydrogen car is Honda Fuel, a veteran within the modality… But it is not yet sold in the Spanish market. It is a saloon that maintains a style with some peculiar feature (the semi-faired rear wheels) that until a few years ago seemed mandatory for manufacturers in their models with alternative mechanics.
Develop 176 hp and 300 Nm, and homologated 579 kilometers according to the EPA. Years ago it was chosen as the car of this reference technology (although there was not much competition). Far from futuristic designs more typical of concept-cars, the Clarity Fuell Cell is a saloon that maintains the comforts found in models with conventional combustion engines.