{"id":73522,"date":"2022-09-12T16:14:27","date_gmt":"2022-09-12T23:14:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogv2prod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=73522"},"modified":"2025-01-06T17:58:29","modified_gmt":"2025-01-07T01:58:29","slug":"do-fuel-cell-electric-vehicles-fcevs-still-stand-a-chance-against-evs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/do-fuel-cell-electric-vehicles-fcevs-still-stand-a-chance-against-evs\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) Still Stand a Chance Against EVs?"},"content":{"rendered":"\nReading Time: <\/span> 6<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>\n

About a decade ago, there was a battle for supremacy between alternative fuel technologies. In an effort to move away from gasoline and diesel fuel, automakers experimented with vehicles powered by everything from compressed natural gas (CNG) to ethanol. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the two technologies that gained the most traction were hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and battery electric vehicles (EVs). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this point, it’s clear that EVs won out. Nearly every vehicle manufacturer has vowed to make all or most of its lineup electric in the near future, and the government is also pushing for increased EV adoption. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, there might be a future for FCEVs, even though there aren’t many on the road—yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Similarities and Differences Between EVs and FCEVs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although the term fuel cell vehicle sounds exotic, the truth is that FCEVs and EVs both rely on electricity for propulsion. What differentiates the two technologies is how that electricity is produced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

EVs get their electricity from a battery that’s recharged via an external charging source. On the other hand, FCEVs refuel on hydrogen, then make electricity from that hydrogen by passing it through a fuel cell stack. Both types of vehicles can also generate electrical energy through regenerative braking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, before we theorize about the future of transportation, let’s take a look at how FCEVs and EVs both work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How an EV Works<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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An EV uses a high-voltage battery pack (primarily recharged by an external charging source) to supply electricity to one or more electric motors.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

An EV has a high-voltage battery pack<\/a> that supplies electricity to one or more electric motors. The battery can be recharged by connecting the vehicle to the electrical grid or through regenerative braking, which occurs when one of the electric motors acts as a generator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The primary components found in a typical EV include the following: <\/p>\n\n\n\n