Hydrogen fuel cells pros
- Eliminates greenhouse gases if the hydrogen used comes from electrolysis of water
- Eliminates pollution caused by burning fossil fuels, the only by product is water
- Have a higher efficiency than diesel or gas engines
- Eliminates economic dependence on politically unstable countries for fossil fuel
- Some have low heat transmission-ideal for military applications
- Most operate silently compared to internal combustion engines
- Maintenance is simple since there are few moving parts in the system
- Operating times are much longer than with batteries
Hydrogen fuel cells Cons
- Reforming is technically challenging and not environmentally friendly
- Production, transportation, distribution and storage of hydrogen is difficult
- Driving range of cars is shorter than in a traditional vehicles
- Refueling and starting times of fuel cell vehicles are longer
- Currently expensive to produce, since most units are hand-made
- Fuel cells are generally slightly bigger than comparable batteries or engines
- The technology is not yet fully developed and few products are availabel
- Some use expensive materials
