How Honda Fuel Cells Work
Honda’s fuel cells work by using a process that combines hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity, which then powers the vehicle’s electric motor, moving the vehicle without releasing CO2 or any other harmful emissions. Here’s a more detailed breakdown of how Honda’s fuel cells operate:
1. Fuel Cell Stack: The fuel cell stack is a crucial component in the process. It is made by stacking cells to provide the required amount of electricity. With the Clarity Fuel Cell, improved cell performance allows a 30% reduction of the number of cells, and improved cell structure allows a 20% size reduction of each cell. These improvements lead to a 33% smaller fuel cell stack.
2. Electricity Generation: The fuel cell creates electricity through a process that combines oxygen with hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe.
3. Powering the Vehicle: The electricity generated powers the vehicle’s electric motor, allowing it to move without releasing CO2 or any other harmful emissions.
4. Hydrogen Tank: Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) carry a high-pressure hydrogen tank instead of a gasoline tank found on conventional vehicles. The hydrogen from these tanks is used in the fuel cell process.
5. Modularity and Power Output: Honda’s fuel cell systems are modular, allowing for the addition of 250 kW with each additional module.
6. Battery Buffer: Existing FCEVs have a small battery that works as a buffer, absorbing excess power produced by the stack and providing extra power for acceleration.
Honda’s commitment to fuel cell technology is evident in its ongoing efforts to develop and deploy fuel-cell vehicles, as well as its collaboration with General Motors to produce next-generation fuel cell systems for upcoming hydrogen-powered vehicles.
Overall, Honda’s fuel cells represent an innovative and environmentally friendly approach to powering vehicles, utilizing hydrogen as a clean energy source.
Contents
- How many miles per gallon does the clarity fuel cell get?
- How do fuel cell vehicles work?
- What is the only waste product of a fuel cell?
- What are two dangers of hydrogen cars?
- What are 3 drawbacks to hydrogen fuel cells?
- How many miles per gallon does a Honda Clarity hydrogen get?
- Does Honda Clarity fuel cell use gas?
- How does a fuel cell work in simple terms?
- Is there a downside to hydrogen cars?
- What is one problem with fuel cells?
How many miles per gallon does the clarity fuel cell get?
68 MPGe
The fuel-cell Honda Clarity has a combined EPA rating of 68 MPGe. During a 300-mile test, we averaged 57 MPGe. That’s well short of EPA predictions but significantly better than we did with the Mirai, which has a 67-MPGe rating but managed only 48 MPGe as tested.
How do fuel cell vehicles work?
How They Work. Fuel cell cars are powered by compressed hydrogen gas that feeds into an onboard fuel cell stack that doesn’t burn the gas, but instead transforms the fuel’s chemical energy into electrical energy. This electricity then powers the car’s electric motors.
What is the only waste product of a fuel cell?
water
Fuel cells directly convert the chemical energy in hydrogen to electricity, with pure water and potentially useful heat as the only byproducts.
What are two dangers of hydrogen cars?
The two prime dangers from fuel cell and hydrogen-powered vehicles are the danger of electrical shock and the flammability of the fuel. Fuel cells power vehicles by electro-chemically combining hydrogen gas (H2) and oxygen (O2) from the surrounding air into water (H20) and electrical energy.
What are 3 drawbacks to hydrogen fuel cells?
Cons: This space-age technology is expensive. Acceptable range requires extremely-high-pressure, on-board hydrogen storage. Few places to refuel. Hydrogen is very expensive to transport and there is no infrastructure in place yet.
How many miles per gallon does a Honda Clarity hydrogen get?
Compare Side-by-Side
| Combined MPG on Electricity:110 | Combined MPG on Gas Only:42 |
|---|---|
| combined city/highway | combined city/highway |
Does Honda Clarity fuel cell use gas?
The Clarity Fuel Cell’s advanced powertrain is designed to provide ample responsiveness on the road, while its only tailpipe emission is pure water. The Feature: The Clarity Fuel Cell is essentially an electric vehicle that uses a hydrogen fuel cell as its primary power source.
How does a fuel cell work in simple terms?
How Fuel Cells Work. Fuel cells work like batteries, but they do not run down or need recharging. They produce electricity and heat as long as fuel is supplied. A fuel cell consists of two electrodes—a negative electrode (or anode) and a positive electrode (or cathode)—sandwiched around an electrolyte.
Is there a downside to hydrogen cars?
More energy- and labor-intensive to store and transport hydrogen than gasoline or diesel fuel. Fuel cells are expensive to replace. Safety concerns over hydrogen flammability and electrical shock. Maintenance costs remain unclear.
What is one problem with fuel cells?
Expensive to manufacture due the high cost of catalysts (platinum) Lack of infrastructure to support the distribution of hydrogen. A lot of the currently available fuel cell technology is in the prototype stage and not yet validated.
