Fuel Cells vs Battery

Introduction

It is crucial to remember that fuel cells and batteries are two workable options for developing electric drive trains, which will help to solve the problem of clean energy. As a hybrid solution, both technologies will have their role. Either option may be the optimal response, depending on the application. Everything relies on the requirements, needs, and usage circumstances.

Fuel Cell vs Battery Car

The most fundamental distinction between batteries and fuel cells is a straightforward one: a battery stores energy that it later consumes, whereas a fuel cell produces energy by converting available fuel. You can use electricity anytime, wherever as long as you have access to the fuel. It's interesting to note that a fuel cell can also include a battery to store the energy it produces.

In addition, there are other distinctions for clean mobility, particularly in heavy-duty transport applications:

Distance

A class 8 truck fueled by fuel cell technology can be operational again in less than 15 minutes, compared to hours for a battery-powered electric vehicle. As a result, fuel cells are ideal for cars that work multiple shifts every day. Additionally, because they are less sensitive to cold temperatures than batteries, fuel cells can easily manage temperature variations throughout a long journey.

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Downtime

Refueling takes only a few minutes, and maintenance downtime also attests to the durability of fuel cell technology. More maintenance is required for combustion engines and batteries.

Cost

The most cost-effective option for decarbonizing medium- and heavy-duty road transportation is hydrogen fuel cells. Batteries are less desirable, according to three use cases, because of the bigger size, heavier weight, and higher cost of the batteries needed, as well as the longer recharge times.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure is frequently a significant barrier for batteries as well as fuel cells, especially when it comes to transportation. For instance, more high-power charging options would allow batteries to recharge even while they are in use, substantially reducing the time needed to do so from hours to minutes. The biggest problem with hydrogen fuel cells is distribution and availability.

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Fuel Cell vs Battery Energy Density

Batteries are obviously more efficient than fuel cells, but when you compare them for heavy-duty, long-distance trucks, weight has a significant impact. Because hydrogen has a substantially higher energy density than batteries, a fuel-cell-driven power train will be lighter. To give you an idea, the difference might be up to 2 tons for a truck with an 800 mile range. As a result, fuel cell technology enables vehicles to carry greater weights and have longer driving distances.

Fuel cells and compressed hydrogen can be used to power a vehicle. Motor with weights that are four times lower than the US ABC target and eight to fourteen times lower than present batteries. The additional weight to extend the fuel cell EV's range is insignificant, but the battery EV weight skyrockets for longer trips. Due to weight compounding, greater than 100 to 150 miles. Every additional kilogram of batteries more structural weight, stronger brakes, and a larger vehicle are required to extend range. larger traction motor, which would require more batteries to move this additional mass ,etc.

Fuel Cell vs Battery Efficiency

In response to the rise in sales of electric vehicles, lithium ion batteries have undergone substantial improvement over the past 20 years. Between the mid-1990s and the mid-2000s, Lithium Ion battery energy density roughly doubled. We must take grid transmission losses into account if the energy utilised to replenish batteries comes from renewable sources. The average value for transmission and distribution losses using the EU is 6%. Additionally, the charging infrastructure only loses 1% of its efficiency .

The delivery and storage of the created hydrogen results in greater energy loss. Since hydrogen has a low real density in both gas and liquid form, we must boost it to have a high enough energy density. The most effective approach involves compressing the hydrogen to 680 atm, although doing so uses roughly 13% of the hydrogen's total energy.

 While the batteries store the electricity in DC, the grid provides AC power. For the conversion, a charger with a 95% peak efficiency is required. Additionally, an inverter is required because the majority of electric vehicles use AC motors. A high-quality inverter's peak efficiency can be close to 95%.Lithium Ion batteries can also lose energy as a result of leaks. The charging efficiency can be estimated to be close to 90%.

A functional hydrogen infrastructure needs to be able to transport hydrogen from the source of production to the point of use after it has been produced and stored. The cost and delivery of hydrogen can be significantly impacted by the location of its production. A plant that is centrally located and capable of producing huge quantities of hydrogen can do so at cheaper costs, but transportation costs to get the hydrogen to its final destination will be higher. With minimal shipping costs, a distributed production unit can create hydrogen where it is needed. The lower manufacturing volume, however, results in a higher production cost.The tank-to-wheel conversation efficiency is another factor that contributes to efficiency loss while using hydrogen. For vehicles to run on hydrogen, the hydrogen in the tank needs to be transformed back into electricity using a fuel cell. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that fuel cell technology has a potential efficiency of 60%, with the majority of the remaining energy being wasted as heat.

In the best-case scenario, where the entire process has high efficiency rates,The most effective way to power a car is using battery electric vehicles. Then, in spite of that in comparison to a battery, a fuel cell car may be able to travel further with a full tank of hydrogen. Because to energy losses and the cost of fully charging a powered tank is higher inefficiencies. Hydrogen has a little more than a 3-fold higher cost per kilometre.

The price per kilometre will be further impacted by additional expenses like building expenditures and hydrogen station profits. The market where the majority of investment and research is moving forward to battery electric vehicles is now being driven by the above mentioned energy losses and inefficiencies.