this post was submitted on 10 Oct 2024
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Futurology

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[–] SlopppyEngineer 5 points 2 months ago

The numbers are kinda meh for this. You have for example the gogoro scooters with swappable batteries. Each battery has about 2 kWh, weighs 10 kg.

That hydrogen cartridge I assume is about the same size as the battery and contains 5 liter, roughly a gallon. Hydrogen at 300 bar is 0.75 kWh / liter, so 3.75 kWh. Then it goes through a fuel cell at 50% efficiency and you get 1.9 kWh usage power. Not better than the battery. And if you want to power a car with, say 60 kWh battery car, it means 32 hydrogen canisters to swap.

There is also liquid hydrogen that has 2.36 kWh per liter. With 5 liter you get 5.9 kWh usage power per canister, almost triple the battery, but don't park these indoors. 10 of these are needed for a 60 kWh car.

For those scooters, the battery solution already works good.