Hydrogen vs Electric

Head-to-head

Range

The Toyota Mirai has the longest range for a hydrogen car at 502km, while the Tesla Model S boasts an impressive 397-506km. However, on average, hydrogen cars have a better range, and the Tesla’s maximum range would be rarely achievable in practice.

WINNER

HYDROGEN

Speed

The fastest electric car on the market (the Nio EP9) can reach an impressive 312kph, but the Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999 triumphs with a top speed of 333kph!

WINNER

HYDROGEN

Maintenance

Both electric and hydrogen cars are made from very few moving parts. This simplicity means that there is little that ever needs to be repaired or replaced, unlike a traditional internal combustion engine that is composed of hundreds of parts.

WINNER

DRAW

Refuel Time

Hydrogen cell cars take just a few minutes to refuel, while even the very fastest superchargers take 30 minutes to fully charge an electric car.

WINNER

HYDROGEN

Infrastructure

Electric cars have the advantage of just plugging in almost anywhere. The infrastructure already exists, we just need to add charging stations at gas station or build them into homes. Hydrogen, on the other hand, is difficult to store and transport. It would have to be stored as gas and then transformed into liquid to enter the car: a complex, expensive and energy consuming process.

WINNER

ELECTRIC

Cost

Hydrogen fuel is more expensive than fossil fuel options, and hydrogen cars are more expensive to buy. you can pick up an electric car for as little as £12,495 (approx. $16,500), while hydrogen cars are closer to £50,000 (approx. $66,000).

WINNER

ELECTRIC

Environmental impact

Electric and hydrogen can be produced in an environmentally friendly way, such as using solar power or hydropower, but currently our electricity grids are predominantly still using fossil fuels. Both hydrogen and electric vehicles are only as green as their source.

WINNER

DRAW