Car care · Elgin Auto Sales & Service Center · Elgin, IL
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars Explained
Hydrogen cars are electric cars that make their own electricity on board. Here is how a fuel cell vehicle works and what it takes to own one today, based on fueleconomy.gov and the Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center.
Water vaporand warm air: the only tailpipe emissions
About 5 minutesto refuel, per the AFDC
300+ milesdriving range, per the AFDC
54open retail hydrogen stations in the U.S. as of 2024
The short answer
A hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCEV) runs on hydrogen gas stored in a tank. A fuel cell stack combines that hydrogen with oxygen from the air to make electricity, which powers an electric motor. The Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) says these vehicles emit only water vapor and warm air, can refuel in about 5 minutes and have a driving range of more than 300 miles. The catch is fuel: as of 2024 there were 54 open retail hydrogen stations in the U.S., mostly in California.
How a hydrogen fuel cell car works
Like all-electric cars, fuel cell electric vehicles use electricity to power an electric motor. The difference, the AFDC explains, is where the electricity comes from: an FCEV produces it with a fuel cell powered by hydrogen, rather than drawing it only from a battery.
The most common fuel cell for vehicles is the polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell. Hydrogen goes to one side of the membrane (the anode) and oxygen from the air to the other (the cathode). A catalyst splits the hydrogen into protons and electrons. The protons pass through the membrane, while the electrons travel through an outside circuit, where they do work by powering the motor. On the cathode side the protons, electrons and oxygen combine to form water.
Fueleconomy.gov notes that most vehicle fuel cells produce less than 1.16 volts, far from enough to power a vehicle, so many cells are assembled into a fuel cell stack. The AFDC says most FCEVs today also use a high-voltage battery to recapture braking energy and provide extra power during short bursts of acceleration.
From Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (Alternative Fuels Data Center), How Do Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles Work Using Hydrogen? (Alternative Fuels Data Center) and How Fuel Cells Work (fueleconomy.gov), read November 9, 2026.
Key parts of a fuel cell vehicle
Here are the main components the AFDC and fueleconomy.gov list for a hydrogen fuel cell car:
| Part | What it does |
|---|---|
| Fuel cell stack | Uses hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity for the motor |
| Hydrogen fuel tank | Stores hydrogen gas onboard, compressed at very high pressure, until the fuel cell needs it |
| Battery pack (high voltage) | Stores energy from regenerative braking and gives the motor extra power |
| Electric traction motor | Drives the wheels using power from the fuel cell and battery |
| Power electronics controller | Manages the flow of electricity from the fuel cell and battery and controls the motor |
| Thermal (cooling) system | Keeps the fuel cell, motor and electronics at the right temperature |
| Fuel filler | Where the hydrogen dispenser nozzle attaches to fill the tank |
From How Do Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles Work Using Hydrogen? (Alternative Fuels Data Center) and Fuel Cell Vehicles (fueleconomy.gov), read November 9, 2026.
Fueling, range and efficiency
The AFDC says FCEVs are fueled with pure hydrogen gas and, like gasoline vehicles, can fuel in about 5 minutes and have a driving range of more than 300 miles. Light-duty FCEVs sold at dealerships use 10,000 psi tanks (hydrogen marketed as H70), and retail dispensers can fill them in 3 to 5 minutes.
The energy in 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of hydrogen is about the same as the energy in 1 gallon of gasoline. The AFDC adds that a fuel cell coupled with an electric motor is two to three times more efficient than an internal combustion engine running on gasoline.
Most hydrogen in the U.S. today is made by steam reforming natural gas; it can also be made from water by electrolysis, which uses more energy but can run on wind or solar power. Some production methods create air pollution, but the AFDC says an FCEV running on hydrogen emits only water vapor and warm air as exhaust.
From Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (Alternative Fuels Data Center) and Hydrogen Basics (Alternative Fuels Data Center), read November 9, 2026.
Where can you fuel a hydrogen car?
This is the biggest hurdle. According to the AFDC, there were 54 open retail hydrogen stations in the United States as of 2024, with over 20 more in planning or construction, and most existing and planned stations are in California (plus one in Hawaii). Automakers including Hyundai and Toyota offer production FCEVs for sale or lease in markets where hydrogen is available, primarily California.
The AFDC says retail stations are planned for some midwestern and northeastern states, and the Department of Energy selected seven Regional Hydrogen Hubs in 2023 to expand infrastructure beyond California. Before considering a hydrogen car, check the AFDC Alternative Fueling Station Locator for stations along the routes you actually drive.
From Hydrogen Fueling Stations (Alternative Fuels Data Center) and Hydrogen Basics (Alternative Fuels Data Center), read November 9, 2026.
How hydrogen cars compare
Here is how the Department of Energy sources above compare fuel cell vehicles with other vehicles:
| Compared with | What the DOE sources say |
|---|---|
| Gasoline vehicles | FCEVs fuel in about 5 minutes and go more than 300 miles, similar to gasoline vehicles; unlike conventional engines, they produce no harmful tailpipe pollutants; a fuel cell with an electric motor is two to three times more efficient than a gasoline engine |
| Battery electric vehicles | Both use an electric motor; an FCEV makes its electricity with a fuel cell instead of drawing it only from a battery, and its stored energy is set by the size of the hydrogen tank rather than the battery |
| Hydrogen engine vehicles | Hydrogen can also fuel internal combustion engines, but unlike FCEVs these produce air pollution and are less efficient |
From Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (Alternative Fuels Data Center), How Do Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles Work Using Hydrogen? (Alternative Fuels Data Center) and Hydrogen Basics (Alternative Fuels Data Center), read November 9, 2026.
Visit Elgin Auto Sales & Service Center
Thinking about a fuel-efficient used car? Browse our used inventory, or schedule service for the car you drive now.
Our service department at 1200 E. Chicago St. in Elgin is open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and is closed Sunday. Get directions.
Hydrogen car FAQ
How does a hydrogen car work?
A fuel cell stack combines hydrogen stored in an onboard tank with oxygen from the air to make electricity, which powers an electric motor. Water is the by-product, per the Alternative Fuels Data Center.
Do hydrogen cars produce emissions?
An FCEV running on hydrogen emits only water vapor and warm air from the tailpipe, the AFDC says. Some methods of producing hydrogen do create air pollution, depending on the source.
How long does it take to refuel a hydrogen car?
About 5 minutes, according to the AFDC; retail dispensers can fill the 10,000 psi tanks used in light-duty FCEVs in 3 to 5 minutes.
How far can a hydrogen car go?
The AFDC says FCEVs have a driving range of more than 300 miles.
Are there hydrogen stations in Illinois?
The AFDC says most of the 54 open retail hydrogen stations (as of 2024) are in California, with one in Hawaii, and that retail stations are planned for some midwestern and northeastern states. Check the AFDC Alternative Fueling Station Locator for current locations.
What are your service hours?
Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. We are closed Sunday.
Shopping for a used car?
Visit us at 1200 E. Chicago St. in Elgin.
Sources
Fuel cell vehicle and hydrogen information is from the Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center and from fueleconomy.gov, the U.S. government fuel economy site administered for the Department of Energy and the EPA, read November 9, 2026. Station counts are as of 2024, the latest the AFDC gives. This is general information; your owner's manual is the authority for your vehicle. Our address and service hours are from our own website, checked the same day. Photo is of our dealership.
- Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (Alternative Fuels Data Center), U.S. Department of Energy, read November 9, 2026
- How Do Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles Work Using Hydrogen? (Alternative Fuels Data Center), U.S. Department of Energy, read November 9, 2026
- Hydrogen Basics (Alternative Fuels Data Center), U.S. Department of Energy, read November 9, 2026
- Hydrogen Fueling Stations (Alternative Fuels Data Center), U.S. Department of Energy, read November 9, 2026
- Fuel Cell Vehicles (fueleconomy.gov), U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. EPA, read November 9, 2026
- How Fuel Cells Work (fueleconomy.gov), U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. EPA, read November 9, 2026
- Service page: address and hours, Elgin Auto Sales & Service Center, read November 9, 2026