Answering all your Hydrogen questions

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Electrifying vehicles is the future (and present) of the auto industry, and with nearly every manufacturer offering a variant, it won’t be long before the scales have tipped. Hydrogen, while much lower in popularity, does bring a new, and very important, aspect when it comes to the conversation of alternate fuels.

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With BMW’s iX5 hydrogen vehicle in the midst of real world testing and Toyota’s Mirai somewhat in Canada — only in Quebec and British Columbia for now — there’s not much in the mainstream about this interesting alternative. (Driving’s Andrew McCredie is currently long-term testing the Toyota Mirai in B.C.)

We went ahead and did a deep dive into some of the most asked questions regarding hydrogen cars and came up with a list of some of the most popular ones. Be sure to let us know if you have any other questions in the comment section below.

How do you fill a hydrogen car?

Similarly to gasoline stations, filling a hydrogen car follows the same steps — there just aren’t nearly as many stations that are able to fulfill this request. Timing-wise, it’s quite similar to filling a gasoline vehicle, in which it only takes a few minutes. Of course, this depends on the tank size.

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To break it down further: Open the fuel door of your car, remove the fuel cap, insert the nozzle, lift the lever, and wait until the tank is full of hydrogen.

Are there hydrogen fuelling stations in Canada?

As of March 2023, there are seven hydrogen fuelling stations in Canada. Five are in British Columbia, one in Ontario, and one in Quebec.

Can you fill a hydrogen car at home?

Technically, yes. However, the amount of work that has to be done to install hydrogen tanks in your home, not to mention refilling them and maintaining them, make it incredibly unappealing and cost prohibitive.

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In contrast, it’s much easier to have a Level 2 charger installed in your home as it runs off existing electrical architecture, as opposed to being an intrusive exercise.

How is hydrogen measured?

Hydrogen is sold and measured by kilograms and this measure was put in place in July 2010.

Can I convert my gas car to hydrogen?

Yes, if you have long arms to match your deep pockets. The transition includes replacing the engine, fuel supply, transmission, distribution system, gearbox and a few other items. You’re better off researching a new hydrogen vehicle.

However, there is an instance where it makes more sense to consider flipping the fuel system, and that’s in larger commercial vehicles such as busses and long-haul trucks.

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How far can a car go on one kilogram of hydrogen?

Based on the BMW iX5 test drive, and dividing its six kilogram hydrogen fuel tank by the 500 km WLPT range, you should get 83.3 km per kilogram of hydrogen. As per Toyota Canada’s website, the 2023 Toyota Mirai XLE gets up to 647 km on a single tank of 5.6 kilograms of hydrogen, which gives us 115 km per kilogram.

As hydrogen adoption is in its infancy, there’s a strong chance range will increase. Think of this way, after many years of testing, some hybrids such as the Ford Escape hybrid and Honda Accord hybrid are coming close to 1,000 km per tank of fuel. The further hydrogen technology is accepted and implanted, the higher the range should be.

What is the downside of using hydrogen as fuel for cars?

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Cost, cost, cost.

The 2023 Toyota Mirai XLE starts at $54,990, while the Limited is $76,750. Comparatively, the Camry hybrid’s four trims range from the mid-$30,000s to the low $40K point. They’re not the same car but they’re close in size. Plus, the Camry hybrid also has the potential to hit 1,000 km per tank with its 49L fuel tank and 4.9 L/100 km combined rating.

Infrastructure also plays a part. Yes, hydrogen fuelling stations can piggyback off of existing gasoline stations, but there’s a high cost for retrofitting them.

Raw materials, such as platinum, escalate the cost. However, just like your first CD player was $500 and they’re now $50, if it’s accepted by the mainstream, all costs will eventually come down, at least a bit.

Logistics of how to move hydrogen slows down acceptance as it’s a delicate substance to transport due to its make-up. That’s why hydrogen dispensers are at the same location it’s produced at.

Let us know your hydrogen questions in the comments.