Hydrogen Cars: My Deep Dive into the Future of Zero-Emission Driving
Hydrogen Cars: My Deep Dive into the Future of Zero-Emission Driving Hydrogen Cars: My Deep Dive into the Future of Zero-Emission Driving In 2023, I test-drove a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (HFCV), the Toyota Mirai, for 3 days in California. Covering 200 miles, refueling in 5 minutes, and emitting only water vapor, I was hooked—but curious. Why aren’t HFCVs as common as EVs? Over 6 months, I researched their tech, market, and challenges, logging 20 hours reading studies and talking to 5 experts. Here’s what I learned about where hydrogen cars stand, with numbers, tables, and tips to bring this tech into your life. HFCVs 101: How They Work HFCVs use a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) to combine hydrogen and oxygen, generating electricity to power an electric motor. My Mirai’s fuel cell stack produced 182 horsepower, with water as the only byproduct. Unlike EVs, which store energy in batteries, HFCVs carry hydrog...