Summary Reader Response Draft 1

 

Cars that utilize hydrogen fuel-cell engines face significant challenges for mainstream adoption. The intricate process and high costs of manufacturing hydrogen fuel-cell pumps, compounded by difficulties in storing hydrogen, hinder their normalization. Despite potential environmental benefits, such as reduced petroleum usage and water as the sole waste product, the economic and manufacturing obstacles currently outweigh these advantages.

Toyota (2023) brings about the Toyota Mirai, and with it comes its beating heart that powers it and separates itself from its market rivals, the hydrogen fuel-cell engine. The Mirai uses a Hydrogen fuel-cell stack to power the car itself, unlike typical electric vehicles and hybrid cars, which utilize conventional batteries and a combination of electric motors and a petrol engine respectively. According to Hunting (2023), the engine performs when oxygen is taken in through the car’s intake at the front of the Mirai as it is driving. Hydrogen is then provided from tanks that are constructed in its undercarriage and are mixed with the oxygen gathered inside the car’s “fuel cell stack.” From this mixing process, clean water is the only waste product that is released from the car, which makes an emission count of nought. There are some features that the hydrogen fuel-cell engine provides for the vehicle. Firstly, it includes three varied driving modes, (Eco, Normal, and Sport), with Eco mode allowing a longer range at the cost of performance, Sport mode boosting the power output of the car at the cost of more hydrogen being used up, and Normal mode which balances the two modes. The Mirai also includes three hydrogen tanks for a bigger drivable range. Not only this but according to Leow, (2022), the hydrogen tanks are "so durable that Toyota test developers shot them with guns, which resulted in the tanks surviving, instead of the bullets". With these features, the Mirai comes with some impressive performance statistics, such as a smoother and quieter ride due to the improvements to the engine made over the years. The upgraded tank now provides a significantly larger range of 645 km. The engine block is now lighter as well but provides a higher horsepower output that allows the Mirai to accelerate to 100km/h with much ease. To add on, Toyota has remarkably achieved these improvements to this engine with parts that cost two-thirds of the previous generation Mirai.

 

However, there are still significant challenges and issues for the mainstream adoption of cars that utilize hydrogen fuel-cell cars. One of the key issues is the process and manufacturing of storage of hydrogen, which is extremely complex and difficult.  According to TWI, (2024), hydrogen itself is difficult to store due to its low volumetric energy density, thus it is easily lost in the atmosphere. To add on, hydrogen is extremely flammable, thus it requires the utmost safety of those who are handling hydrogen, and complex equipment such as flame detectors are needed to ensure that there are no hazards when hydrogen is being stored.

 

Another huge disadvantage of using engines that run on hydrogen is the high cost, particularly concerning the construction of hydrogen fuel-cell refuelling stations or pumps, as well as the expense of refuelling a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle compared to other types of vehicles currently on the roads, such as electric vehicles, petrol, or diesel-fuelled cars. This high cost stems from the complexity of storing hydrogen compared to other fuels, necessitating substantial investment in research and development for machinery and storage units such as hydrogen fuel pumps and transportation tanks for trucks. For instance, according to Donut Media (2021), the average cost of manufacturing a single hydrogen pump is a staggering US$2 million, whereas a similar electric charging point or fuel pump costs about US$50 thousand and US$300 thousand respectively. Similarly, refuelling with hydrogen is notably expensive, estimated at around US$80 to fill a single tank compared to an average of US$32 for a similar-sized tank of conventional fuel. These cost challenges significantly hamper the demand for vehicles utilizing hydrogen fuel cell engines. Statista (2022) provides data indicating that in 2022, only 54 hydrogen fuel pumps were available in the USA, with none in Singapore, highlighting the rarity of these fuelling stations due to the financial burdens they impose on companies involved in their construction.

 

There is a glimmering hope of the possible use of hydrogen fuel cell engines, and that is its eco-friendliness and environmental benefit. According to Donut Media (2021), These engines combust hydrogen and oxygen, causing water to be the only by-product, instead of harmful pollutants like carbon monoxide from engines running on petroleum. To further add on, compared to combustion engines, hydrogen fuel cell engines are much more efficient than combustion engines, boasting a faster refuelling time to a full tank.

 

-        Hunting, B. (2023, March 14). Toyota Mirai proves hydrogen is the future - and always will be. InsideHook. https://www.insidehook.com/autos/review-2023-toyota-mirai-hydrogen-fuel-future/amp

 

-        Ju-Len, L. (2022). Toyota’s futuristic Mirai is still stuck in the future. The Business Times. https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/lifestyle/toyotas-futuristic-mirai-still-stuck-future

 

-        2023 Toyota Mirai. 2023 Mirai. (n.d.). https://www.toyota.com/mirai/

 

-        Donut Media. (2021, April 12). Why hydrogen cars flopped. YouTube. https://youtu.be/b88v-WvqzeQ?si=Ro8lq2lgpWurBHkp

 

-        Number of hydrogen fuel stations by country in 2022. Statista. (2024, January 26). https://www.statista.com/statistics/1026719/number-of-hydrogen-fuel-stations-by-country/