A Comprehensive Review of Hydrogen Vehicle Technology: Comparative Analysis with Conventional IC Engines and Battery Electric Vehicles, and a Systematic Evaluation of System Safety, Deployment Scenarios, and Future Outlook

This comprehensive review underscores that hydrogen vehicle technology is not a direct competitor to battery electrification for light-duty passenger vehicles, but rather an indispensable technology for heavy-duty, long-haul, and high-utilization sectors. A clear, objective assessment reveals that while BEVs will continue to dominate urban mobility due to their superior well-to-wheel efficiency and existing grid integration, hydrogen propulsion—via both FCEVs and HICEVs—offers the only physically viable, high-gravimetric-density pathway to eliminate carbon emissions from heavy-duty commercial transport without sacrificing payload capacity or operational cadence. From a safety perspective, through rigorous structural engineering including Type IV carbon-fiber composite cylinders, advanced thermally activated pressure relief systems, high-sensitivity leak detection arrays, and intelligent ventilation architectures, the unique physical risks of hydrogen are effectively controlled. Hydrogen vehicles meet or exceed the safety standards established for conventional liquid-fossil-fuel vehicles. The immediate trajectory of hydrogen technology will be determined by three interconnected factors: the rapid scale-up of megawatt-level green hydrogen production via water electrolysis to achieve cost-parity with diesel; the strategic construction of dedicated hydrogen freight corridors along key commercial shipping lanes; and continuous engineering advances in fuel cell durability and cryogenic liquid storage management. As regulatory frameworks tighten globally and the real-world operational constraints of heavy-duty batteries become more pronounced, hydrogen vehicle technology is uniquely positioned to establish itself as a core, safe, and highly scalable cornerstone of the global zero-emission transportation architecture.

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