Hydrogen-Oxygen Fuel Cells

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Hydrogen-Oxygen Fuel Cells

Advantages

  • Fuel cell vehicles don't produce pollutants. The only by-products is water and heat. Electrical vehicles don't produce many pollutants either- but their batteries are more polluting to dispose of than fuel cells because they are made from highly toxic metal compounds.
  • Batteies in electric vehicles are rechargeable, but there is a limit to how many times you can recharge them before they need replacing.
  • The electric vehicles are much more expensive than fuel cells.
  • Batteries also store less energy than fuel cells and so it would need to be recharged more often- this can take a long time.

Disadvantages

  • Hydrogen is a gas, so it takes up loads more space to store than a rechargeable battery.
  • Hydrogen is explosive when it is mixed with air, so had to store safely.
  • The hydrogen fuel is often made from hydrocarbons or by electrolysis of water. This uses electricity and it is generated by fossil fuels.

Evaluation

Conventional fuels for vehicles have a finite supply.They will not last forever and are polluting. Electrical energy is becoming more and more popular. Hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells could be better though. 

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