Hydrogen is considered the most abundant clean energy source currently available. It is easy to store and transport, and when used as automotive fuel, it can achieve zero carbon dioxide emissions. Developing hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) is not only an attempt to solve regional environmental and energy problems, but also a roadmap for the development of future transportation.
Could this become the ultimate solution?
According to statistics, since the commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles powered by lithium batteries in 2013, a total of 6,475 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles powered by lithium batteries were sold globally by the end of 2017, with Toyota accounting for more than 75% of the sales.
Toyota stands out in the passenger vehicle market with its hydrogen fuel cell-powered lithium-ion batteries, while my country has seen the first application of hydrogen fuel cell-powered lithium-ion batteries in the commercial vehicle sector. Last year, eight automakers, including Dongfeng, Foton, and Yutong, produced a total of 1,272 hydrogen fuel cell-powered lithium-ion battery commercial vehicles.
In October 2016, the my country Society of Automotive Engineers released the "Technology Roadmap for Energy-Saving and New Energy Vehicles," which proposed that by 2020, 1,000 fuel cell-powered lithium battery vehicles would be produced and put into demonstration operation; by 2025, supporting infrastructure such as hydrogen production and refueling would be basically completed, and fuel cell-powered lithium battery vehicles would achieve small-scale regional operation; and by 2030, the sales volume of fuel cell vehicles would reach the level of one million vehicles.
With the promotion of relevant national policies, my country has initially formed an industrial chain in key materials fields of hydrogen fuel cell lithium batteries, but there are still problems such as immature technology and high cost in terms of commercialization.
The high price of hydrogen fuel cell lithium battery vehicles, the slow construction of infrastructure such as hydrogen refueling stations, and the inconvenience of hydrogen storage and transportation have hindered the commercialization and market penetration of hydrogen fuel cell lithium battery vehicles.
Among the three mainstream technologies for new energy vehicles—plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, pure electric vehicles, and fuel cell lithium-ion battery vehicles—hydrogen fuel cell lithium-ion battery vehicles are considered the most difficult to commercialize.
"The limitations of fuel cell lithium-ion battery infrastructure and costs make it difficult for ordinary individual users to afford them, as they lack access to hydrogen refueling facilities. Therefore, the development of hydrogen fuel cell lithium-ion battery vehicles requires both technological advancements and supporting infrastructure; neither can be lacking," Zhu Jun, deputy director of SAIC Motor's Technology Center, told Think Tank on May 12. In the short to medium term, fuel cell lithium-ion batteries seem more suitable for specific commercial vehicle scenarios, such as logistics vehicles, commuter vehicles, and official vehicles.
It is understood that there are currently only a dozen or so hydrogen refueling stations in operation in my country, mainly located in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, and other places. Furthermore, the investment and construction costs for hydrogen refueling stations are extremely high; a medium-sized hydrogen refueling station requires an investment of at least tens of millions of yuan.
Clearly, hydrogen fuel cell lithium batteries cannot be the only path for my country's automotive industry to reach the future. On June 28th, Ouyang Minggao, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and professor at Tsinghua University, stated at the "Hydrogen Energy Industry Innovation and Development Forum": "Through extensive practical experience, lithium battery systems are more suitable for replacing gasoline engines, and hydrogen fuel cell lithium battery systems are more suitable for replacing diesel engines. This is why current technological research focuses on commercial vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cell lithium batteries."
The hydrogen energy era will begin in 2050.
From the current technological development perspective, both types of battery systems face their own technological bottlenecks. Lithium-ion battery systems urgently need to solve the battery material problem in order to achieve higher energy density; while hydrogen fuel cell lithium batteries urgently need to solve the problems of hydrogen refueling infrastructure and cost.
There is a high level of interest in the research and development of hydrogen fuel cell lithium batteries among domestic institutions. "Since last year, fuel cell lithium battery vehicles have become very popular, and many places have listed them as a key development area. Some impoverished areas have even used poverty alleviation funds for fuel cell lithium battery projects. Fuel cell lithium batteries deserve attention and should be developed, but they are not projects that can be quickly popularized or generate huge benefits in the near future. Companies and local governments should clarify the positioning of fuel cell lithium battery vehicles," said Dong Yang, deputy secretary-general of the my country Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
Should my country's future research and development of power lithium batteries focus on hydrogen fuel cell power lithium batteries? "I disagree with the notion that hydrogen is the 'ultimate energy source' and that hydrogen fuel cell power lithium battery vehicles are the 'ultimate environmentally friendly vehicles,'" said Ouyang Minggao. "Hydrogen and electricity are both energy carriers; neither is 'ultimate.' The more important issue is hydrogen energy technology, specifically the upstream hydrogen fuel, such as its production, transportation, storage, and compression. Currently, everyone only focuses on the fuel cell power lithium battery system itself, but the development of hydrogen-related technologies and infrastructure is not ideal. For example, on-board hydrogen storage technology has the following problems: high cost of carbon fiber, relatively low hydrogen storage weight, and significant energy loss. Therefore, the key is to deepen basic research and technological development related to hydrogen energy, as well as the construction of related infrastructure."
However, it is undeniable that the enormous potential of lithium-ion battery-powered vehicles has not yet been fully realized. The current problems in the hydrogen fuel cell lithium-ion battery industry chain cannot negate the superiority of the hydrogen energy ecosystem. Gan Yong, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, stated: "From an energy perspective, by 2050, hydrogen energy is estimated to account for approximately 18% of the energy mix, with a production value of $2.5 trillion. Furthermore, from now until 2050, solid fuels will gradually decline, while gaseous fuels will become the dominant form. my country has a huge market, and hydrogen energy technology has broad prospects. It is expected that my country will be among the first to enter the hydrogen energy era by 2050."
