Hydrogen is mostly associated with fuel cells, which
convert hydrogen to electricity and have the potential for
high efficiencies [8]. However, when subjected to the test
of chemical sustainability, fuel cells have the same
disadvantage as batteries, albeit that the chemicals that
limit the number of fuel-cell vehicles are different from
those that limit battery electric vehicles [5]. (For instance,
platinum in the case of the proton exchange membrane
fuel cell and lithium in the case of the lithium-ion battery).
In contrast, the internal combustion engine on which we
rely today for the bulk of vehicles worldwide, is made of
abundantly available and easily recyclable materials,
namely, common metals. Also, being a mature technology
implies low costs. Hydrogen vehicles using ICEs are less
costly than either fuel cell or battery electric vehicles, in
the case of the latter because of the high battery costs.
Battery electric vehicles might be cheaper to run, due to
their unrivalled efficiency, but for passenger cars, the
vehicle purchase cost is more important than the fuel
(or energy carrier) cost.