Hydrogen Fuel Cells: The Future of The Automotive Industry

HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS: THE FUTURE OF THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

As the ban on combustion engines gets closer with each passing day, the automotive industry moves towards implementing solutions at a steady pace. The sale of electric vehicles (EVs) continues to grow and new fuel solutions are being developed. At the moment Lithium-ion batteries are being used in most EVs, but there is an upcoming contender that we would like to highlight.

A hydrogen fuel cell produces electricity cleanly and efficiently by using the chemical energy of hydrogen.. Using hydrogen as a fuel, the cell only produces electricity, water and heat, making it a clean alternative to traditional internal combustion engines.

Vast amounts of capital are already being invested in this technology. Johnson Matthey, a UK-based catalytic converter and hydrogen technology expert, has announced plans to invest £80 million in the construction of a new hydrogen fuel cell components factory in Royston, near Cambridge.

How will the implementation of hydrogen fuel cells change the way that auto repair shops maintain and repair these cars?

Added safety regulations and protections:

• Hydrogen is very combustible and may induce electric shocks if it comes into touch with an electrical source.
• Hydrogen is less dense than air and rises upward.
• If the hydrogen comes into contact with lights, it can explode and cause fires; you have to have a way to contain it.

Because of these risks, new safety protocols need to be implemented:

Shops must establish secure and dedicated hydrogen fuel service bays. Having these dedicated facilities can improve worker safety while decreasing the likelihood of fires.

As new, and not-so-new, technologies are developed and implemented, the auto-repair industry must keep itself up to date on these changes, so that it may be better prepared to serve customers with vehicles housing these new technologies.