FAQs

About Hydrogen

How much hydrogen does a fuel cell consume?

Aren't the costs for changing the existing vehicle fueling infrastructure to deliver hydrogen exorbitant?

How much will it cost to refuel my vehicle with hydrogen?

Where will hydrogen come from?
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, and can be found in water, fossil fuels and other sources. One way to produce hydrogen is to use energy to break water apart through a process called electrolysis. Another approach is to reform hydrocarbon fuels such as natural gas or methanol. The long-term goal is to obtain hydrogen from renewable sources such as wind and solar energy, but it is important to start moving down the path to hydrogen as soon as possible.

Is hydrogen a safe fuel?
When handled properly, hydrogen is a very safe fuel. However, like all fuels, hydrogen has energy and must be treated with respect.

Hydrogen can be stored in metal or chemical hydrides, or as a gas or liquid in pressurized tanks. Gaseous hydrogen is typically utilized for automotive applications and is stored in tanks at 3500 or 5000 psi. In the case of a collision the chance of a fuel leak is less likely than that from a thin metal gasoline tank, due to the structure of the storage tanks. In addition, hydrogen’s lighter-than-air properties allow it to dissipate rapidly in the surrounding air should a leak occur, rather than pooling around potential sources of ignition as gasoline does. Finally, hydrogen burns without smoke. This is important because smoke inhalation is the number one cause of death in gasoline-fueled fires.

For more information about hydrogen, please refer to the website of the National Hydrogen Association.

How much hydrogen does a fuel cell consume?
The amount of hydrogen a fuel cell consumes varies depending on a number of factors including product design, power level, and the efficiency of the system. Generally speaking, fuel cells are two to three times more efficient than combustion engines, and will convert more of the fuel’s energy into useful electricity.

Aren't the costs for changing the existing vehicle fueling infrastructure to deliver hydrogen exorbitant?
No. A Shell Hydrogen study estimates the cost to be about $19 billion for the delivery of hydrogen to 1/4 of the fuel stations in the United States. When shared across all the energy companies and governments over a period of years, this amount is considered manageable. The benefits of energy independence and a cleaner environment make this investment even more reasonable.

How much will it cost to refuel my vehicle with hydrogen?
The price of hydrogen will be determined by its production and delivery costs. However, for fuel cell vehicles to be widely accepted by consumers, the overall cost of operation will have to be competitive with today’s gasoline internal combustion engine vehicles. We expect hydrogen to be competitively priced when produced in the volumes of an automotive fuel.