Abstract:

Climate change is one of the major problems people face in this century, with fossil fuel combustion engines being huge contributors. The battery-powered electric vehicle is currently considered the predecessor, while hydrogen vehicles only have an insignificant market share. Different hydrogen power train technologies are analyzed and compared to the battery-powered electric vehicle to evaluate if this is justified. Even though most research focuses on hydrogen fuel cells, it is shown that, despite the lower efficiency, the often-neglected hydrogen combustion engine could be the right solution for transitioning away from fossil fuels. This is mainly due to the lower costs and possibility of using existing manufacturing infrastructure. To achieve a similar level of refueling comfort as with the battery-powered electric vehicle, the economic and technological aspects of the local small-scale hydrogen production are being investigated. Due to the low efficiency and high prices for the required components, this domestically produced hydrogen cannot compete with hydrogen produced from fossil fuels on a larger scale.