serendipity
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The switch to eco-friendly driving has been happening, slowly but surely, all across the world over the last few years in an effort to reduce carbon emissions and lessen our dependence on harmful fossil fuels. As a result, the majority of major automotive brands have been making a concerted effort to introduce more and more battery-powered electric vehicles and, more recently, vehicles that are powered by hydrogen fuel cell technologies. While both battery-electric and hydrogen-electric vehicles are significantly more eco-friendly and cost-effective than traditional fossil fuel-powered models, it's important for consumers to know how the two types of electric vehicles compare in key areas, such as safety, driving range, charging times, upfront and long term costs, and emissions.
Before pitting hydrogen-electric and battery-electric cars head-to-head, it's worth understanding the key differences between the two technologies. Traditionally, electric vehicles powered by rechargeable batteries utilize a lithium-ion battery to power one or more motors in the car. These vehicles can be charged time and time again by simply plugging them into a standard electricity grid, as you would with any other electric device such as a phone or computer. Electric-battery cars can also be charged at public charging stations, depending on the make and model. Certain models of battery-electric cars can even recharge themselves in small bursts by converting the heat produced during braking into electricity.
As the name suggests, hydrogen-electric cars are powered by hydrogen fuel cells which allow for a chemical reaction to take place between hydrogen and oxygen atoms, resulting in the production of both electricity and water vapor. The electricity produced powers a motor, similar to those used in battery-electric cars, though the only byproduct is harmless water vapor. While battery-electric cars can be recharged at owner's homes or at public charging stations, hydrogen-electric cars, also known as fuel cell electric vehicles, must be refueled at special service stations that carry pressurized tanks of hydrogen gas.
Similar to battery-powered models, hydrogen-electric models do not produce any harmful, polluting emissions and instead only emit water vapor into the atmosphere. Creating the hydrogen gas necessary to power hydrogen-electric vehicles can be a challenging process, however hydrogen is the most abundant element in the entire universe, meaning that the energy source is endlessly renewable and eco-friendly.
In terms of charging, hydrogen-electric vehicles charge in a fraction of the time it takes battery-electric models, while similarly offering significantly higher driving ranges. For example, the Renault Kangoo Z.E. Hydrogen and Master Z.E. Hydrogen boast charge times as low as five to ten minutes while still offering an all-electric driving range upwards of 215 miles thanks to their range extender fuel cells.
Read more: https://www.topspeed.com/what-makes-hydrogen-electric-cars-better-than-battery-electric-cars/
Before pitting hydrogen-electric and battery-electric cars head-to-head, it's worth understanding the key differences between the two technologies. Traditionally, electric vehicles powered by rechargeable batteries utilize a lithium-ion battery to power one or more motors in the car. These vehicles can be charged time and time again by simply plugging them into a standard electricity grid, as you would with any other electric device such as a phone or computer. Electric-battery cars can also be charged at public charging stations, depending on the make and model. Certain models of battery-electric cars can even recharge themselves in small bursts by converting the heat produced during braking into electricity.
As the name suggests, hydrogen-electric cars are powered by hydrogen fuel cells which allow for a chemical reaction to take place between hydrogen and oxygen atoms, resulting in the production of both electricity and water vapor. The electricity produced powers a motor, similar to those used in battery-electric cars, though the only byproduct is harmless water vapor. While battery-electric cars can be recharged at owner's homes or at public charging stations, hydrogen-electric cars, also known as fuel cell electric vehicles, must be refueled at special service stations that carry pressurized tanks of hydrogen gas.
Similar to battery-powered models, hydrogen-electric models do not produce any harmful, polluting emissions and instead only emit water vapor into the atmosphere. Creating the hydrogen gas necessary to power hydrogen-electric vehicles can be a challenging process, however hydrogen is the most abundant element in the entire universe, meaning that the energy source is endlessly renewable and eco-friendly.
In terms of charging, hydrogen-electric vehicles charge in a fraction of the time it takes battery-electric models, while similarly offering significantly higher driving ranges. For example, the Renault Kangoo Z.E. Hydrogen and Master Z.E. Hydrogen boast charge times as low as five to ten minutes while still offering an all-electric driving range upwards of 215 miles thanks to their range extender fuel cells.
Read more: https://www.topspeed.com/what-makes-hydrogen-electric-cars-better-than-battery-electric-cars/
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