Hydrogen Fuel Cells for Transportation – Current Challenges and Future Prospects

In the present scenario of a global initiative to secure global net-zero by mid-century and keep the global temperature increase within 2C, hydrogen and fuel cells are considered to play an important role in the energy transition, particularly for the decarbonization of transit buses, trucks, rail transport, ships, ferries, and the residential heating sector [1, 2]. Even though fuel cells were invented more than hundred eighty years ago and then went through a rapid development for the space program in the 1960s - followed by even more intensive development in automotive applications since the 1990s, there are only two major fuel cell car models available in the international market, with a third coming in 2024. This is due to several technical barriers that still require continual improvement, including their high cost, which stems from the need to balance durability, performance, and materials [3, 4]. Thus, the question is: Is there a future for fuel cells for transportation?