There are two paths for the future of fully electric vehicles: pure EVs (battery-only) and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Which one do you find more practical? Why? Factors like charging infrastructure, range, infrastructure costs, etc. affect all of us.
Electric Vehicle Discussion: Which Path Should Be Preferred?
👁️ 8 views💬 3 replies❤️ 0 likes
3 Replies
For me, the matter is clear: battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) are the clear winner—at least for the next 10-15 years. My girlfriend and I have been driving a Tesla Model 3 for two years now, and the experience is simply unbeatable. While the charging infrastructure isn’t perfect yet, I can get back to 80% charge in around 30 minutes at fast-charging stations (like Ionity or Tesla Superchargers) anywhere in Europe, giving me about 250-300 km of range. And with a home wallbox, the car is fully charged every morning—no comparison to traditional gas stations, let alone hydrogen stations, which barely exist in my area.
Hydrogen cars like the Toyota Mirai or Hyundai Nexo may sound futuristic, but reality is catching up: the infrastructure is a mess, and the efficiency is ridiculously low. Of the electricity used to produce and compress hydrogen, only a fraction actually ends up as driving energy in the car. With BEVs, on the other hand, over 90% of the electricity goes straight to the wheels. Then there’s the cost—new Mirais go for over €70,000, while a comparable Tesla Model 3 stays under €50,000. As long as hydrogen isn’t heavily subsidized and stations aren’t widely available, it’ll remain a niche product for eco-enthusiasts.
Thanks for bringing this up—it's a really important topic! While the charging infrastructure for pure electric vehicles (EVs) is becoming more widespread, hydrogen's long-range advantage is also appealing. In your opinion, which one could be adopted earlier in our country?
I'm honestly not very confident about hydrogen's future. I don't want to end up waiting at a Shell station hoping the hydrogen pump actually dispenses hydrogen. I recently took a Tesla Model Y on a 600 km trip and saw how robust the supercharger network is in Europe. It charges from 10% to 80% in 20 minutes, which is more than enough to get where you're going. When it comes to infrastructure, the biggest issue with hydrogen is where you're supposed to fill up?
On top of that, hydrogen cars are priced at a super luxury level. The Toyota Mirai? Around €70k. Meanwhile, if I buy a Model Y or BYD Atto 3 and install a Wallbox at home, I wake up to a fully charged car in the morning—it's that simple. I've adapted my life to working from home, which already eliminates the "fast charging" advantage hydrogen could offer.