A Hydrogen truck is a type of truck that uses alternative fuel which is hydrogen fuel for motive power. These include automobiles, hydrogen-fueled space rockets, as well as other vehicles. While Electric truck is a vehicle that uses one or more electric motors for momentum. It is usually powered by a collector system, with electricity from extravehicular sources, or it can be powered independently by electric batteries fitted to the truck.
Hydrogen trucks and Electric trucks have pros or advantages and cons or disadvantages which eventually influence buyers’ decisions.
What Are Hydrogen Trucks?
A hydrogen vehicle is an alternative fuel vehicle that uses hydrogen as its primary source of propulsion. Examples of Hydrogen vehicles include automobiles, hydrogen-fueled space rockets, as well as other vehicles. The chemical energy of hydrogen is converted to machine-driven energy by either reacting hydrogen with oxygen in a fuel cell to power electric motors or, less typically, by burning hydrogen in an internal combustion engine.
What Are Electric trucks?
An electric truck is a vehicle that is propelled by one or more electric motors. It can be powered by an extravehicular collector system, or by converting fuel to energy using generator or fuel cells, or it can be powered independently by a battery that is occasionally charged by solar panels.
Why Should You Buy Electric or Hydrogen Truck?
The decision of which truck to buy, Hydrogen or Electric trucks will depend on the pros and cons for each type of truck, how do electric and hydrogen trucks compare when scrutinized on several key factors, such as cost, safety, range, charging, and emissions.
•Ownership Cost: Electric vehicles can be costly to buy, depending on the exact model and manufacturer, even with government grants to help support buyers and reduce prices. On top of the cost of the truck, owners may also need to pay monthly battery rental fees. The cost of ownership of Hydrogen Trucks is more expensive than electric trucks, with no budget options on the market currently, the price tag for a new hydrogen vehicle is comparative to that of a top-end electric vehicle. In addition, the cost of refueling a full tank of hydrogen truck is higher too.
Winner: Electric
•Safety: Hydrogen gas use in operation Hydrogen trucks is highly flammable and burn in air at concentrations ranging from four to seventy-five percent. Safety is a major consideration whether or not to buy Hydrogen trucks.
There are also safety concerns for Electric Trucks because if lithium-ion batteries in electric trucks are used for a very long time and overheat or charge too much they can cause injury. In the worst-case scenario, a fire could result, and should that happens, such batteries fire is difficult to put out, since, the fuel for the fire is not vented away as with hydrogen.
Just as any other trucks powered by other types of fuel, hydrogen and electric operated trucks have similar safety encounters.
•Range: Vehicle Range is the approximate distance it can travel with residual fuel in the tank. Vehicle Range is a very important truck ownership decision.
Electric trucks’ range is a function of which type of vehicle is purchased. Some very expensive vehicles have a range of approximately 375 miles compared to less expensive trucks which have ranges of about 150 miles.
Hydrogen-powered trucks offer greater ranges and faster refueling times too. Some Hydrogen-powered trucks have a range of about 414 miles and only take about 5 minutes to the tank, contrasting to the hours it takes to recharge an electric-operated truck.
•Availability of a refueling/charging station: Hydrogen fuel-powered trucks are not only more expensive than many electric automobiles, but they also have less refueling infrastructure, with fewer than 600 hydrogen filling stations around the world, including private ones. When compared to electric vehicles, which currently have thousands of charging stations around the world, the lack of facilities is a major disadvantage for hydrogen-powered vehicles at the moment.
•Emissions: The recent study found that while hydrogen and electric trucks do not emit pollutants from their exhaust, they are not emission-free since products like carbon dioxide (CO2) are released into the atmosphere throughout the production process.
Manufacturing lithium-ion batteries is an energy-intensive process that results in an average of 124g of CO2 per kilometer for a 100kWh battery when combined with charging-related emissions. On the other hand, Hydrogen fuel cells are equally a culprit, with some fuel cell stacks equating to 120g of CO2 per kilometer.
Hydrogen Trucks Vs Electric Truck Differences
To know the differences between Hydrogen and Electric Trucks, we must have a clear understanding of the operations and know-how of both Hydrogen and Electric trucks.
A Hydrogen driven truck though contains an electric motor, it is fueled by hydrogen fuel cells that allow hydrogen to react with oxygen to create the chemical production of electricity and water vapor. The engine is powered by electricity, while the water vapor is harmlessly dispersed into the atmosphere. Trucks that run on hydrogen, commonly known as fuel cell electric vehicles, are refueled with hydrogen at service stations that have pressurized natural gas tanks.
On the other hand, an electrically operated truck is power-driven by a lithium-ion battery, that supplies power to a motor to power the various parts of the truck. The batteries of electric trucks are rechargeable just as any other electronic device by connecting the charger into the electricity network. There are types of electric trucks that can be self-rechargeable, this is achievable when the electric truck is a rest after a long journey by a process of heat conversion to produce electricity.
Hydrogen Trucks vs Electric Trucks Pros
There are some pros or advantages for Electric and Hydrogen trucks, which are a function of the know-how or technology relating to design, use, and the funding and obtainability of each truck type. The pros are hereby discussed below.
Hydrogen Trucks
Hydrogen trucks provide many similar benefits as electric trucks, including the all-important lack of polluting emissions.
While producing hydrogen gas is a complicated process, it is the most plentiful element in the universe, making it a renewable fuel source.
Hydrogen automobiles are also faster to refill than electric cars, and they have far longer ranges. Hydrogen fuel cells with range extenders have a range of over 350 kilometers and charge in 5-10 minutes.
Hydrogen is a Clean and Elastic Energy Source to support Zero-Carbon Energy Strategies
Hydrogen fuel cells provide an intrinsically clean source of energy, which has an environmentally friendly impact during the process, as the derivatives are simply heat and water.
Hydrogen fuel cell technology is a high-density, high-energy-efficiency source of energy that is more powerful and efficient. The energy density of high-pressure gaseous and liquid hydrogen is around three times that of gravity. When compared to other energy sources, it is extremely efficient.
Many other energy sources, including many green energy solutions, are less efficient than hydrogen fuel cells. This increased fuel efficiency allows more energy to be produced per pound of fuel.
Almost Zero Emissions: Hydrogen fuel cells are environmentally benign since they do not emit greenhouse gases, resulting in less pollution and better air quality.
Hydrogen fuel cells emit almost no greenhouse gases, hence they have no carbon footprint while in use.
Fast Charging Times: The charge time for hydrogen fuel cell power units is extremely rapid, while electric vehicles require between 30 minutes and several hours to charge, hydrogen fuel cells can be recharged in less than five minutes. This fast charging time means that hydrogen power-driven vehicles provide makes them more flexible.
Zero Noise Pollution: Hydrogen fuel cells do not produce noise pollution much like electric cars. Hydrogen-operated trucks are much quieter than those that use conventional internal combustion engines.
Long Periods of Use: Hydrogen fuel cells are more efficient in terms of utilization times. This is a greater range than current electric truck ranges. Outside temperatures have little effect on hydrogen fuel cells, and they do not degrade in cold conditions.
Electric Trucks
There is a cutting-edge organization for electric trucks when compared to hydrogen-operated Trucks. There is more Governmental support worldwide and investment in new infrastructure for charging of electric trucks and at existing petrol stations and motorway rest stops, shopping center car parks and even on the side of some streets. In the United Kingdom, for instance, the United Kingdom government gives grants towards the procurement and fitting of charging points at homes
Economically speaking, electric trucks are cheaper than hydrogen-operated trucks, while the cost of recharging electric trucks is also at a reduced amount during off-peak network times, making the electric truck a good investment in terms of the overall cost-in-use.
Electric trucks run silently and produce no exhaust fumes, meaning that there is no environmental noise or air pollution, and they do not consume any energy when in a state of rest.
Electric motors are also dependable due to the lack of moving mechanical parts as against that of ignition engines.
Electric trucks are energy efficient
The amount of energy from a fuel source that is transformed into actual energy for driving a vehicle’s wheels is referred to as energy efficiency. Electric truck batteries convert about 62 percent of their energy into vehicle movement, compared to 17 to 21 percent for gas-powered trucks.
Emissions from electric trucks are reduced
Emission reduction, as well as reduced usage of fuel, is an advantage of electric vehicles. Because they rely on a rechargeable battery, driving an electric truck does not create any exhaust emissions which are a major source of pollution worldwide
Hydrogen Trucks Vs Electric Trucks Cons.
Notwithstanding, the advantages afforded by Electric and Hydrogen trucks, there are several shortcomings with both types of trucks.
Hydrogen Trucks
The lack of governmental infrastructural support is the major drawback for hydrogen trucks in their uses. The paucity of lack of Hydrogen refueling locations means that for many, hydrogen vehicles are just not a feasible alternative at least for the present. Nevertheless, it is assumed that hydrogen infrastructure is easy to improve upon, and with the right investment and support, this difficulty could be resolved.
Another main downside with hydrogen power is cost. Hydrogen-operated trucks are not cheap and refueling prices vary considerably from country to country.
Electric Trucks
Perhaps the main downside with electric trucks is the range compared to the amount of time it takes to recharge. This varies depending on the battery and charging station, but in general, the refueling times and range and make long-distance travel more difficult in an electric car than in a traditional or hydrogen combustion engine.
While high-power charging stations allow for faster recharging, they can also be more expensive to use.
The cost of acquisition and upkeep: The cost of electric trucks is higher, and battery packs may need to be replaced. An electric car’s battery packs are expensive and may need to be replaced multiple times over the vehicle’s lifetime. All-electric trucks are also more expensive than gas-operated trucks, and the upfront cost of all-electric trucks can also be exorbitant. Conversely, the savings in fuel cost, tax credits, and other government encouragements can help to counterbalance this cost generally.
Longer Refueling Time: Fueling an electric truck can big be a concern. Completely recharging the battery pack with a Level 1 or Level 2 charger can take up to 8 hours, and even fast charging stations take 30 minutes to charge to 80 percent capacity. Electric trucks drivers have to plan more prudently because running out of power cannot be solved swiftly at the gas pump stations.
Less Travel Time Distance of Electric Trucks: Electrically driven vehicles have a lesser range than hydrogen trucks on average. The majority of models have ranges of 60 to 120 miles per charge, with certain premium versions exceeding 300 miles per charge. Gas-powered vehicles, on the other hand, will get roughly 300 miles on a full tank of gas, with more fuel-efficient vehicles achieving far longer ranges. This may be an issue when looking at Electric Trucks if you frequently take long trips. Accessibility of charging stations can make Electric Trucks less suitable for activities like road trips.
Best Hydrogen Trucks
Hyundai motors, a Korean company that is one of the leaders in the manufacturing of commercial vehicles powered by Hydrogen has plans to introduce its Hydrogen trucks to the United States of America in 2022.
While Toyota motors have developed a 2nd generation Hydrogen-powered driven commercial truck. Daimler Trucks also has launched hydrogen fuel trucks into the commercial vehicle market.
Best Electric Trucks
Daimler Trucks
Daimler, the world’s largest truck manufacturer, has unveiled the Freightliner eCascadia, an all-electric 18-wheeler. The huge rig was built for provincial transport and port duty and has a 250-mile range.
Tesla Trucks
Tesla has two types of Electric vehicles: Tesla Semis – one with a 300-mile range and one with a 500- to 600-mile range.
BYD
BYD, based in Shenzhen, China, with offices and an assembly factory in Lancaster, California, USA. BYD is the world’s largest electric vehicle maker in terms of the volume of vehicles sold. their trucks are very competitive.
Chanje
Chanje, situated in Los Angeles, California, is a Chinese-backed startup in the electric truck business.
Chanje’s V8100 electric medium-duty panel van is about 30 feet long and can carry a 3-ton payload. In addition, the truck’s lithium-ion battery pack has a range of 150 miles.
How to Make Your Decision.
In this write-up, I have tried to consider the pros and cons of Hydrogen Trucks vs Electric Trucks, and considering some pros or advantages that are common to both trucks, one may still ask: how do I decide which to buy?
Before making a decision consider the pros and cons of both trucks and take note of the following: Hydrogen-powered trucks have a higher range than Electric Trucks, Ownership cost for Hydrogen trucks is lesser when compared to electric trucks. Both types of trucks are environmentally friendly.
If you looking for a truck of the future, then go for Hydrogen trucks.
On the flip side, Electric trucks are very expensive to maintain thereby increasing cost-in-use, lower range when compared to Hydrogen trucks. Nevertheless, due to the Government grants burden of acquisitions of electric trucks is reduced, also there is the availability of recharge stations for Electric Trucks as a result of government support.
If you want to enjoy the advantages of trucks of the present, then go for Electric trucks.