Safety Fulfilling the Promise

The report assesses fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) as a path toward a clean-vehicle future in the US, focusing on hydrogen and methanol as primary fuels. It analyzes the environmental benefits, such as the potential for 'zero-emission vehicles' (ZEVs) when using renewable hydrogen, and compares FCV performance and safety to gasoline vehicles. The document also addresses the infrastructure challenges of hydrogen distribution and the economic value of reducing urban air pollution in cities like Los Angeles and New York City.

• Fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) can achieve significant fuel economy; near-term hydrogen FCVs are estimated at 62 mpg-eq for automobiles, with long-term potential reaching 80 mpg-eq or greater.
• The environmental impact of FCVs depends on the fuel source: those using hydrogen from renewable sources can be true "zero-emission vehicles" (ZEVs), while methanol-fueled FCVs release small amounts of pollution from processing and evaporation.
• Hydrogen offers safety advantages over gasoline because it is lighter than air and leaks disperse quickly in open areas, though it ignites more easily and poses a risk if trapped in enclosed spaces like garages.
• Methanol is considered safer than gasoline due to a lower chance of ignition and lower heat release during fire, although it is toxic to humans and can contaminate drinking water more readily than petroleum.
• The transition to FCVs faces a major infrastructure hurdle, as the existing network of over 200,000 US corner stations is designed for petroleum and would require substantial effort to replace or modify for hydrogen.
• FCVs are expected to be more efficient than gasoline vehicles in urban driving and congestion due to lower idling energy requirements and the ability to recapture energy during braking.
• The economic value of avoiding pollution through FCV deployment is highest in areas with severe air-quality problems, such as the South Coast Air Basin in Los Angeles.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (n.d.). Safety Fulfilling the Promise. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/the-promise-of-fuel-cell.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Safety Fulfilling the Promise. n.d. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/the-promise-of-fuel-cell.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Safety Fulfilling the Promise |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/the-promise-of-fuel-cell.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientistsndsafety, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Safety Fulfilling the Promise}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/the-promise-of-fuel-cell.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }