Hydrogen engines are fast becoming the new buzzword in the automobile industry. Major automobile companies like Toyota, Hyundai, Honda, BMW, Volkswagen, and even Tesla have developed, or are in the process, of developing hydrogen powered engines to add to their sustainability portfolios. Now, Ford is joining the likes of these major companies by investigating adding hydrogen powered vehicles to their own models.
Ford’s commitment to sustainability
Ford has set a sustainability goal of carbon-neutrality across all segments of the Ford production chain by 2050. In 2023, the American company used over 50% of renewable electricity in their global manufacturing process in 2023. By 2026, every Ford vehicle manufactured in Michigan will be assembled with the equivalent of 100% carbon-free electricity — nine years earlier than their original global goal of 100% carbon-free electricity by 2035.
While Ford, like almost every other automobile company, has invested in electric vehicles their interest in hydrogen engine speaks to a growing global investment into alternative energy engine solutions outside of the electric world. Earlier this year, Ford filed a patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office related to increased safety procedures and innovations to make compressed gas tanks safer in cars.
In hydrogen-powered vehicles, the compressed gas tanks store hydrogen at high pressure (usually between 5,000 and 10,000 psi). These tanks are critical to fuel cell systems because they provide the hydrogen fuel needed for the fuel cell to generate electricity. However, the storage of hydrogen under such high pressure requires advanced engineering and materials to ensure safety and reliability.
Ford’s solution to potential threats to hydrogen engines
A significant challenge with vehicles that rely on compressed gas is the storage of the gas in pressure tanks. These tanks can take up considerable space and also present safety concerns. They are designed to store gas at extremely high pressures and are typically bulky which take up valuable room in the vehicle. This space requirement can limit the overall design and interior space of the car, and in the case of hydrogen-powered vehicles, it can affect the driving range, as the larger the tank, the more hydrogen it can store, but this also increases the vehicle’s weight and reduces efficiency.
The safety risks associated with these tanks present another issue. As pressure vessels, the tanks must be built to extremely high standards to withstand the force of accidents and impact without rupturing or leaking the gas. A rupture of a high-pressure gas tank in a crash-scenario could lead to a catastrophic explosion or fire. While modern hydrogen gas tanks are made from lightweight, durable composite materials like carbon fiber to withstand extreme conditions and reduce weight, there’s always the risk of tank failure due to manufacturing defects, wear and tear, or severe impact in accidents.
Ford’s solution to mitigate these safety risks include adding hinged gas tanks which, in the case of a side impact in a car accident, allow the gas tanks to rotate around and under the frame so that it sits beneath the vehicle but off the ground as well as move the tanks away from the source of impact. In the case of an extreme impact, Ford details added features in their patent which would tether the tanks to the frame of the vehicle as well as precautions to stop the tanks from hitting the frame.
Making hydrogen safer for the future
Initiatives like these designs from Ford ensure that hydrogen technology is a viable and safe option for greening the future. If the world is to see an uptake in alternative engine solutions, consumers must be assured that risks to their safety have been thoroughly assessed if we are to convince widespread adoption of automobiles like hydrogen powered vehicles.
