Hydrogen fuel cell cars are becoming increasingly promising as the technology develops, particularly in the shipping and goods transportation industries as well as heavy industries such as mining and steel making.

There are currently only a few types of hydrogen cars around the world. When it comes to passenger cars, the focus has been greatly directed toward rechargeable electric battery powered options. The available models in the market have storage tanks for the H2 and function by converting it into electricity which powers their drive wheels. The only emission resulting from this process is water, making it eco-friendly and attractive for that reason.

Though many of us think of hydrogen as highly explosive fuel, this is based on a common misconception mostly caused by the Hindenburg disaster. In fact, hydrogen fuel cell cars can be considered considerably safer than cars powered by gasoline. Primarily, if there is a gasoline leak, there is a significant fire risk. However, in the event of a hydrogen leak, the gas simply dissipates harmlessly.

The tanks that contain H2 are thick walled and carefully designed to prevent leaking, even after a substantial crash. For example, should the tanks ever be punctured, the device allows for a managed venting of the gas. Sensors throughout the vehicle also work to detect unexpected gas presence to shut everything down and bring the vehicle to a stop before anything can be permitted to ignite.

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Many experts believe that hydrogen fuel is actually safer than gasoline because of the way it behaves in the event of a leak. In contrast to gasoline, which poses a significant fire risk in the event of a leak, hydrogen gas dissipates harmlessly into the air. As a result, hydrogen fuel cell cars are designed with safety at the forefront of their engineering, including the use of thick-walled tanks and relief devices to prevent leaks or explosions.

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Universal Kraft works with green hydrogen solutions through UH2, the Group’s specialist company. We are working on solutions to produce green hydrogen through electrolysis with zero carbon emissions, then store and distribute it so that it can be used to heat buildings, manufacture steel or power fuel cells for trucks and ships. We have projects in development in Canada, Sweden, Spain, Portugal and Brazil.