Abstract
With the advancement of technology in recent decades and the implementation of international norms to minimize greenhouse gas emissions, automakers have focused on new technologies connected to electric/hybrid vehicles and electric fuel cell vehicles. Alternative fuel sources like hydrogen and electricity have been introduced as a sustainable, lower-emission alternative to burning fossil fuel. BEVs or battery electric vehicles are typical electric cars with a battery and electric motor that have to be charged. FCEVs, or fuel cell electric vehicles, have a fuel cell that converts pure hydrogen into electricity via reverse electrolysis to charge a battery connected to an electric motor. The lifecycle costs of the BEV and FCHEV are comparable; however, depending on driving patterns, one may be more advantageous than the other. This study compares the most recent proposed fuel-cell electric car topologies. This paper aims to find out which fuel alternative is more sustainable, looking forward to the future. An analysis was conducted by comparing different fuel cells’ and batteries’ efficiencies, performance, advantages, and disadvantages.
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Abbreviations
- BEV :
-
Battery electric vehicles
- FCEV :
-
Fuel cell, electric vehicle
- HCV :
-
Hydrogen combustion engine
- ICE :
-
Internal combustion engine
- PHEV :
-
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle
- HEV :
-
Hybrid electric vehicle
- SMR :
-
Steam methane reforming
- PEMFC :
-
Proton electron membrane fuel cells
- PEM :
-
Proton electron membrane
- AEMFC :
-
Anion exchange membranes fuel cells
- MCFC :
-
Molten carbonate fuel cells
- SOFC :
-
Solid oxide fuel cell
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Parikh, A., Shah, M. & Prajapati, M. Fuelling the sustainable future: a comparative analysis between battery electrical vehicles (BEV) and fuel cell electrical vehicles (FCEV). Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 57236–57252 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-26241-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-26241-9