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Why aren’t we replacing petrol cars with hydrogen rather than electric ones?

Adam True, Jersey

Hydrogen-powered cars are electric: the power comes from converting the gas to electricity in a fuel cell. Many of the leading car manufacturers already have advanced hydrogen prototype vehicles, so we know the technology works. But one of the big challenges is storage. Hydrogen must be highly compressed to give a range of more than 100km (62 miles). Even then, the tanks are so big there’s barely room for any luggage. The latest trials involve miniaturising the tanks, by doubling current compression pressures up to 700 atmospheres. The other issue is the energy involved in splitting water into hydrogen in the first place. But this technology is improving all the time and increasingly involves renewable energy sources. 

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