One of the most funded projects by the US, more than one billion dollars has been dedicated for fuel-cells development. Looking at the "non-economic" challenges of using fuel-cells in cars, we have:
1) Required to operate under extreme range of temperatures (sub zero to 100 C) and at low humidity ambient.
2) Storing/ Carrying the hydrogen tanks on the vehicle while engineers are striving to reduce the latter's weight using aluminum and alloy steels and drive-train compactness.
3) Infrastructure which I often observe that it goes something like "You sow the seed, I ll water it and grow to a shoot/plant." Hence, infrastructure is last in my list here keeping in mind the Geo-political and economics factors among others.
I might be missing some other important points which is one of the reasons why I would like to hear from others!
I think in the next future fuel cell vehicle can be seriously the answer to the environmental challenge in sutomotive sector. There are a few vehicles yet in the market. Infrastructures are not ready at all, but I think with some investments it is possible to widen the availability of the hydrogen. Storage systems are quite safe being like to the methan and GPL ones already used in automotive. Moreover, new storage technologies are available like metal hydrure storage (low pressure, low weighit, high storage density by adsorption). The weight of a fuel cell have to be improved, but at present is not far from an ICE weight.
This is a very challenging issue, but I think it is the real way to make the automotive sector really greener.
Article Model based Design and Optimization of a Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle
Ravi, you might be interested in a recent paper co-authored by myself that addresses most of the points mentioned in your post. It would be great if you consider the piece helpful. Best Regards Ulrich
Article Fuel cell electric vehicles and hydrogen infrastructure: Status 2012
After reading the paper, I couldn't remember everything in there but as you mentioned it gave me a better picture of where the FCEVs are heading! Thank you Dr. Eberle.
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