Battery Electric Vehicle and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle: 2 complementary technologies to decarbonise LCV fleet

The transition to cleaner light commercial vehicles (LCV) has become a priority for many companies. Faced with increasingly stringent regulations on mobility-related emissions in urban areas, fleet managers are looking for viable decarbonisation solutions. Battery electric vehicles (BEV) and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEV) are proving to be the most promising options.

BEVs and FCEVs are two complementary electric vehicle technologies for achieving zero emission. Choosing one or another depends on the usage and the operational constraints that fleet operators need to face.

1. Electric battery and hydrogen fuel cell: two zero-emission, zero-noise technologies

Light commercial vehicles (LCV) play an essential role in modern logistics chains. However, they are also responsible for a significant proportion of CO2 emissions and atmospheric pollutants. To meet these environmental challenges, two zero-emission propulsion technologies have emerged: battery electric vehicles (BEV) and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEV).

1.1 Battery electric vehicles (BEV)

BEVs use lithium-ion batteries to store the electrical energy that powers the motor. These vehicles are charged via electric recharging stations, which can be installed on company sites or available in outdoor infrastructures such as parking lots or petrol stations.

1.2 Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEV)

FCEVs, on the other hand, use hydrogen as an energy source. In a fuel cell, hydrogen reacts with oxygen from the air to produce electricity on demand, releasing only water vapor as a by-product.

1.3 Benefits common to both technologies

BEVs and FCEVs offer significant environmental and operational benefits. By eliminating emissions of CO2 and other pollutants, these technologies enable compliance with regulations imposed in low-emission zones (LEZ). By reducing noise pollution, they also help to improve the quality of life in urban areas. The adoption of BEVs and FCEVs also demonstrates a commitment to sustainable development, reinforcing a company's brand image and attractiveness to customers and partners. 

Finally, depending on local policies in some countries, both types of vehicles can benefit from subsidies and tax incentives offered by governments to encourage the adoption of clean technologies.

2. The advantages of hydrogen fuel cells

In addition to being zero-emission and zero-noise, hydrogen fuel cell technology offers interesting advantages for light commercial vehicle (LCV) fleet managers.

2.1 Longer range and faster refueling time

One of the major advantages of FCEVs over BEVs is their superior range. On average, a hydrogen fuel cell light commercial vehicle can travel between 400 and 600 kilometers on a single fill-up, compared with 150 to 300 kilometers for equivalent-sized BEVs. This range is particularly advantageous for commercial fleets making longer daily distance.

FCEVs also refuel much more quickly. Filling up with hydrogen usually takes between 3 and 5 minutes, comparable to the time needed to fill up a conventional fuel tank. By contrast, recharging BEVs can take several hours, even with fast-charging stations. This refueling speed enables FCEVs to maximize vehicle uptime, which is crucial for commercial operations.

2.2 Greater flexibility and lower infrastructure costs

As we have just seen, the FCEVs' performance in terms of range and refueling time minimizes downtime. As a result, fleet utilization is optimized, and the overall profitability of the fleet is enhanced.
Unlike electric recharging stations, which need to be multiplied to supply a complete fleet, a single refueling point is all that's needed to supply hydrogen to an entire fleet. This reduces the cost of installing and maintaining charging points.

2.3 Preserved payload

To have a decent range, BEV vehicles need big batteries which add on additional weight on the vehicle. As the total autorised vehicle weight is limited by local authorities it means we can load less cargo compared to diesel LCV in order to respect GVW which means less profitability for the delivery business.  The FCEV powertrain (fuel cell, hydrogen tank and electric motor) is only 5% heavier than a conventional diesel vehicle powertrain thus presenting equivalent charging capacities.

2.4 Cold-weather friendliness

Definitely another advantage of fuel cell electric technology is the cold-weather performance. Indeed, fuel cells are operational in extreme temperature conditions from -30°C to +50°C with no efficiency loss and therefore delivering constant range to the vehicle regardless of the season and the climate.

3. Total cost of ownership (TCO) and hydrogen's economic competitiveness

Total cost of ownership (TCO) is a fundamental factor when a fleet manager considers switching to alternative propulsion technologies. TCO takes into account not only the purchase price of vehicles, but also operating, maintenance and fuel costs over the vehicle's lifetime. The TCO of BEV and FCEV technologies is expected to lower progressively and reach parity with diesel in the upcoming years which will enable to accelerate their deployment.

3.1 Cost of acquisition

FCEVs currently tend to be more expensive to buy than BEVs, mainly due to the higher production costs associated with fuel cells and hydrogen tanks. However, FCEV prices are expected to fall as the technology develops and mass production increases.

3.2 Operating and maintenance costs

FCEVs offer competitive operating and maintenance costs, thanks to the durability of the fuel cell which mirrors the vehicle’s lifecycle. Added to this are the subsidies offered by many state and local authorities.

3.3 Energy costs

The cost of hydrogen is currently higher than that of the electricity used to recharge BEVs. However, improved technology on hydrogen production combined with the development of distribution infrastructure will drastically reduce the costs in the coming years.  Current methods of hydrogen production, such as natural gas reforming, are relatively expensive. However, electrolysis of water from renewable energy sources (green hydrogen) is becoming increasingly viable, with costs falling rapidly thanks to technological innovations and economies of scale.

At the same time, many governments and companies are investing heavily in hydrogen production and distribution infrastructure. These investments, combined with subsidies and tax incentives, are helping to reduce the cost of hydrogen.

According to industry projections, the cost of hydrogen could fall to €5/kg within a few years. At this level, the TCO of FCEVs will reach parity with diesel while BEVs will remain dependent on electricity prices.  

4. Two complementary technologies

The two technologies are not mutually exclusive but are two different approaches to LCVs electrification. They provide an effective response to a wide range of operational, needs to face the environmental issues.

To sum up, BEVs and FCEVs each have specific strengths that make them suitable for different duties within commercial fleets. BEVs are ideal for short journeys, and urban deliveries with low payload need. They can easily be recharged during periods of low activity, such as at night, but need extensive recharging infrastructure. With their longer range, quicker refueling time, FCEVs are much better suited for long-distance and intercity journeys which require optimized payload.