Hydrogen the next phase of green

H

ydrogen fuel cell vehicles have been slow to gain ground. While there are a growing number of electrics and hybrid vehicles already on the market, only one hydrogen fuel cell model is available in Canada.

However, these environmentally friendly rides are gradually starting to take off as both consumers and vehicle manufacturers look toward greener roads.

An alternative to plug-in and battery electric models, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are zero-emission. They combine hydrogen from a fuel tank with oxygen from the air to generate electricity. The only emission is water.

Even when generated with fossil fuels, hydrogen production is more environmentally friendly than burning gas in a conventional car. More and more hydrogen is also being made using renewable energy.

On top of this, fuel cell ve- hicles refill in minutes, and have a range of almost 500 kilometres once full. This range is more than three times the average electric car.

Hydrogen clocks in at about the same price as gasoline, and it’s common practice for manufacturers to offer a leasing plan that pays for fuel for the first few years.

Additionally, fuel cells have less repair costs than conventional vehicles due to having less moving parts.

So why isn’t this green technology all over the roads already?

First of all, Canada lacks in fuelling infrastructure. Fuel cell vehicles need a special unit to refill, similar to a gas station, and these units aren’t practical to install in private homes.

Currently, our country only has a handful of these hydrogen-fuelling stations, and most of them are in B.C. The Lower Mainland boasts only one fuelling station, located in Surrey. With the most recent federal budget allocating $62.5 million for alternative fuelling infrastructure, this may change in the near future.

Another potential problem is the lack of selection. The only hydrogen fuel cell vehicle on the Canadian market at this time is the Hyundai Tucson, which Hyundai started leasing to B.C. residents in 2015.

Hope is on the horizon though. Toyota has made it clear it wants to introduce its fuel cell Mirai model to Canada, while the second generation Tucson is set to be revealed in

Though there are only a few models on the market right now, manufacturers ranging from BMW to Audi to Mercedes Benz have also announced new fuel cell models that will be released in the near future.

Despite challenges with fuelling and a limited selection, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are available right now for British Columbians who want to embrace the next step in green vehicles. What’s more, the Clean Energy Vehicles for BC (CEVforBC) incentive program provides an up to $6,000 rebate for those who want to invest in a fuel-cell ride.

As consumers continue to demand greener options and manufacturers continue to embrace the benefits of hydrogen, fuel cells will become more affordable, accessible and attractive to average Canadian drivers.

I look forward to seeing where the coming years will take us.