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What are fuel cell electric vehicles?
Everyone is talking about electric vehicles, and I thought they were all battery powered until some mentioned fuel cell vehicles to me. If they don’t use batteries, how do they work?
Hannah DeWitt · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Great question! Most of these vehicles are
hydrogen fuel cell vehicles
, which use hydrogen and fuel cells to power their motors. They aren’t chargeable like battery-powered vehicles (BEVs), but they instead create their own electricity to power an electric motor, so they are considered electric vehicles.Hydrogen fuel cells use two main components: hydrogen, stored tightly in a tank, and fuel cells, which take chemical energy like hydrogen and turn it into electricity. Inside the fuel cell, hydrogen and air are pumped into it and create a chemical reaction. This reaction allows electrons to be extracted from the hydrogen.
The electrons create electricity and are then stored in a small battery until the motor uses their power. The rest of the hydrogen is combined with oxygen from the air in the fuel cell, creating water that is released through the tailpipe.
On the outside, they look like regular vehicles. To refuel, new hydrogen needs to be pumped into their tank, though hydrogen pumps aren’t as common as EV charging stations. Hydrogen is more expensive than electricity, but fuel cell vehicles are able to refuel much faster.
Most brands have decided to focus their energy on creating BEVs, but a few brands like
Toyota
and Hyundai have chosen to invest in hydrogen fuel cell power instead. In 2022, Toyota will release their new fuel cell vehicle the Mirai, and Hyundai has announced their own in the form of the 2022 NEXO.As electric vehicle infrastructure improves, it might be time to think about buying an EV. When you do, make sure to insure it with Jerry. A licensed broker, Jerry does all the hard work of finding cheap quotes from the top name-brand insurance companies and buying new car insurance. Jerry will even help you cancel your old policy.
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