Electric vehicles are an important element in reducing CO2 emissions from traffic, but this technology falls short when it comes to transporting heavy loads https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🚛" title="Sattelschlepper" aria-label="Emoji: Sattelschlepper"> here are 7 reasons why hydrogen powertrains will be a crucial building block of tomorrow’s zero-carbon mobility https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="⬇️" title="Pfeil nach unten" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach unten">

1) Climate neutrality https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🍃" title="Im Wind flatterndes Blatt" aria-label="Emoji: Im Wind flatterndes Blatt">
When using hydrogen produced from renewable sources, fuel-cell powertrains are completely climate-neutral. Especially for large, heavy vehicles, fuel-cells have a better carbon footprint than exclusively battery-electric powertrains

2) Potential applications https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="⚡" title="Hochspannungszeichen" aria-label="Emoji: Hochspannungszeichen">
Hydrogen has a high energy density, with 1 kg having as much energy as 3.3 litres of diesel. As well as heavy trucks, stationary fuel-cells can be used in distributed power stations in cities, data centres, and charge points for electric vehicles

3) Efficiency https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="💡" title="Elektrische Glühbirne" aria-label="Emoji: Elektrische Glühbirne">
Hydrogen fuel-cells are around a quarter more efficient than vehicles with combustion engines. Additionally, surplus electricity from wind and solar plants can be used to produce hydrogen in a decentralised way, ready for flexible storage and transportation

4) Costs https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="💰" title="Geldsack" aria-label="Emoji: Geldsack">
The cost of H2 will come down considerably when production capacities are expanded and the price of renewable electricity declines. @HydrogenCouncil expect H2 application costs to fall by 1/2 in the next 10 years, making them competitive with other technologies

5) Infrastructure https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="⛽" title="Benzinpumpe" aria-label="Emoji: Benzinpumpe">
Today’s network of hydrogen filling stations doesn’t offer complete coverage, but the roughly 180 filling stations in Europe are already sufficient for some important transport routes. These are being continually expanded in Europe and across the globe

6) Safety https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🦺" title="Sicherheitsweste" aria-label="Emoji: Sicherheitsweste">
The use of gaseous H2 in vehicles is safe and no more hazardous than other automotive fuels or batteries. H2 tanks do not pose an increased risk of explosion, as any gas that escapes from a vehicle tank will rise faster than it can react with the ambient oxygen

7) Timing https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🕓" title="Ziffernblatt 04.00 Uhr" aria-label="Emoji: Ziffernblatt 04.00 Uhr">
Fuel cells have now reached the technological maturity needed for commercialisation and widespread use. According to @HydrogenCouncil, the hydrogen economy can become competitive in the next 10 years, provided there is sufficient investment and political will