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Both fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are needed to achieve the most significant transition in the automotive industry’s history – decarbonisation. According to the Roadmap towards zero emissions: the complementary role of BEVs and FCEVs study published by the Hydrogen Council with analytical support from McKinsey & Company, a “combined world”, leveraging the respective strengths of both FCEVs and BEVs, will enable greener transportation faster and cheaper compared to relying on a single technology.

While BEVs are vital for fast decarbonisation and will be a mainstream solution for many use cases, FCEVs similarly have their particular use case strengths, in much the same way that gasoline and diesel play complementary roles today. FCEVs will provide the best option for regions with constrained renewables or limited grid capacity in the mid-to-long term, high power and energy demand vehicle segments, and customer segments with a preference for long range and fast refuelling. The “combined world” will provide superior system efficiency, lifecycle carbon intensity and reduced resource demand.

Building the hydrogen refuelling network alongside battery charging infrastructure will be more cost effective than building a charging infrastructure powerful enough to cover all use cases, including those with high power demands and little charging capacity. To convert all vehicles to BEVs would require costly grid investments in hard-to-serve and high demand areas, such as inner city public fast chargers. Savings, resulting from just 10% of the fleet converting to FCEVs instead, would more than compensate for the cost of a hydrogen refuelling infrastructure in a fully decarbonised scenario. Further, hydrogen can be produced from renewable electricity at peak production, preventing curtailment and grid overload, which will produce a higher systemic efficiency than a single-technology world.

CP’s Hydrogen Locomotive Program aims to develop North America's first line-haul hydrogen-powered locomotive. The program involves retrofitting a line-haul locomotive with hydrogen fuel cells and battery technology to drive the locomotive's electric traction motors. 

H2 0EL
In the fall of 2021, the first hydrogen locomotive, "H2 0EL", which stands for Hydrogen - Zero Emissions Locomotive, will be prepped for its official painting and launch.

All American Marine, Inc. (AAM) and the vessel owner SWITCH Maritime (SWITCH) are pleased to announce the launch and operational trials of Sea Change, a 70-foot, 75-passenger zero-emissions, hydrogen fuel cell-powered, electric-drive ferry that will operate in the California Bay Area. This will be the first hydrogen fuel cell vessel in the US, representing a monumental step in the US maritime industry’s transition to a sustainable future. The ferry was developed and constructed to demonstrate a pathway to commercialization for zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell marine technologies.

Under the nonbinding memorandum of understanding, GM will supply Ultium electric batteries and Hydrotec hydrogen fuel cell power cubes. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"Wabtec's decision to deploy GM's Ultium battery and Hydrotec hydrogen fuel cell systems further validates our advanced technology," GM President Mark Reuss said.

Ultium is a key part of GM’s strategy to roll out efficient and cost effective electric vehicles, and closing a deal with Wabtec would help spread development costs over a larger volume of batteries. GM is developing a hydrogen fuel-cell-powered commercial truck with truck maker Navistar (NAV.N).

GM's Ultium batteries will be built by the company's joint venture with South Korea battery maker LG Energy Solution (051910.KS), which is building plants in Ohio and Tennessee. The hydrogen fuel-cell systems will be assembled by GM's joint venture with Honda (7267.T) in Brownstown, Michigan.