We conclude our investigation, started in the last issue of this magazine, on the role that hydrogen could play in the campers of the future, by taking a wider look at some of the issues driving the case for hydrogen

Words Terry Owen

In the race to zero driving emissions, it is clear that there is no single solution for all circumstances. Targets will need to be met using a blend of technologies in which hydrogen has an important role to play.
According to UK electric truck manufacturer Tevva, hydrogen refuelling has the potential to become as simple as diesel refuelling is today, once low-carbon hydrogen becomes cheaper and more widely available. Of course, there is still a long way to go but things are changing, as indeed they will need to if zero emissions targets are to be met.
For the RV fraternity the benefits of hydrogen go far beyond fast refuelling with an improved range because hydrogen opens up the opportunity for off-grid camping just as fossil fuels do now. It can be used both to provide electricity via a quietly operating fuel cell or be directly burned in heating and cooking appliances.
For towcars, panel van conversions, and small to medium sized motorhomes, the FCEV (Fuel cell electric vehicles – see Part One) could provide the perfect solution.
However, where the opportunity exists to fit larger gas tanks, such as some of the larger A-class motorhomes, the H2 ICE (Hydrogen internal combustion engines – see Part One) route offers a quick and cost-effective solution.
Whatever happens going forward it is likely that hydrogen will have an ever more important role in the route to truly green camping.

The problem with lithium

Environmental impact
The mining of lithium involves huge amounts of water, depending on the extraction method. Typically, just one tonne of lithium requires around two million litres of water – nearly enough to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool. The result is often the pollution of reservoirs and the health problems that can bring.
The extraction process also produces large quantities of carbon dioxide and mineral waste. According to research by German automotive consultancy Berylls Strategy Advisors, the production of a lithium battery weighing 500 kilos emits over 70% more carbon dioxide than that required to produce a conventional car.
Lithium batteries require other metals too such as cobalt, nickel and manganese to work efficiently and the mining of these also brings environmental issues. Cobalt mining in particular has a bad name, with 70% of the world’s supply coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to environmental news website earth.org “Cobalt is fast turning from a miracle metal to a deadly chemical as toxic dumping is devastating landscapes, polluting water, and contaminating crops. High concentrations of cobalt have even been linked to the death of crops and worms, which are vital for soil fertility.”

Recycling difficulties
Lithium batteries are complex and costly to recycle with the cost often exceeding that of extracting the raw materials. Lithium is highly reactive and can catch fire if sufficient care is not taken.
Compared to lead acid batteries, which have a recycling rate of 99%, lithium batteries are currently much lower, with some putting the figure as low as 5%. This figure is however somewhat misleading as it’s based mainly on small consumer batteries because most of the larger ones, such as those use in vehicle propulsion, have yet to reach the end of their lives. Ultimately the recycling figure will increase significantly but cost is likely to remain an issue.

The bottom line
Lithium will undoubtedly remain the mainstay of BEV propulsion for many years to come but it is far from being a one stop solution. This leaves room for other solutions, particularly in the short term, with hydrogen being the main contender.

Insurance costs

As many motorists have already found out, the cost of insurance for a BEV or hybrid vehicle can be significantly higher than for a conventional ICE vehicle. A report published by Thatcham in July 2023, funded by Innovate UK, a British government agency, found that BEV incident claims were 25.5% more expensive than those involving internal combustion engines.
This increase is blamed on the high cost of replacing the main battery should it become damaged. Thatcham says the cost of a replacement battery can be more than the used price of the vehicle after only one year.
The same is pretty much true of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles where, although the battery is much smaller, the cost of the fuel cell can be very high.
On the other hand, H2 ICE vehicles are likely to have very similar insurance costs to conventional ICE vehicles because they share much of the same technology and are a similar cost to produce. It’s another boost for H2 ICE which, despite its relatively low efficiency, is proving to be a fast and cost-effective way of reaching zero driving emissions.

Battery technology advances

Battery technology continues to advance but more slowly than many had predicted. Solid state batteries have long been seen as the next big game changer with twice the range of existing batteries and reduced risk of explosion or fire if involved in crash.
Toyota has been developing the concept since 2012, but problems of cost and durability have delayed their introduction. Toyota is now aiming for the batteries to be ready for commercial use by 2027/28.
Stellantis, Hyundai and Volkswagen have also teamed up with firms working on solid state batteries but there appears to be no firm date for their introduction.
This relatively slow progress gives a further boost to hydrogen, especially with emissions deadlines looming.

The technology behind hydrogen H2 ICE

Hydrogen can be burned in existing gasoline or diesel engines with just a few modifications -mainly to the cylinder head and intake system. These are needed to cope with its wide flammability range, which is 4% to 75% in air (gasoline is 1.4 to 7.6%), and low ignition energy requirement.
This means that engines can be run very lean, thereby lowering combustion temperatures and limiting the formation of nitrogen oxides (NOx). Ignition is initiated by a precisely controlled spark from a conventional spark plug, exactly as in a gasoline engine.
The ease of ignition can cause a problem with damaging pre-ignition (engine knock) and backfiring in the intake manifold. To avoid this, the fuel is injected directly into the cylinder immediately after the intake valve closes, as in a diesel engine.
The wide flammability range means that the power of the engine can be easily controlled by varying the amount of hydrogen injected without having to change the flow of intake air, again like a diesel engine. As a bonus, hydrogen burns far cleaner than gasoline or diesel, resulting less oil contamination and breakdown, and therefore less engine wear.
Perhaps the easiest way to visualise a hydrogen H2 ICE engine is to think of a diesel engine with a spark plug. It is therefore perhaps no surprise that the reliability of these engines is as good as, or better than diesel engines.