ADVANTAGES

• It is an extremely clean fuel on combustion in a fuel cell with by products of just heat and water. 

• It reduces atmospheric pollution through production and usage

• It does not have a ‘memory’ so does not rely on being charged like a battery.

• It has the best safety record of any industrial gas.

• It will reduce foreign oil dependency that many countries have thus reducing economic dependence on politically unstable countries from which oil is typically found.

• It has a greater efficiency over standard gasoline fuelled vehicles which use about 20% of the fuel to power it.  Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will use approximately 40-60%

• Operation of fuel cells is quieter than typical engines and their maintenance costs are generally lower. 
  

• The hydrogen in a fuel tank will be cheaper than the cost of a tank of gasoline. 

DISADVANTAGES

• Hydrogen is only explosive when it is able to build up in an enclosed space. 

• It may require fossil fuels to generate hydrogen thus using more energy to produce than what is gained from it through combustion.

• A fuel cell engine is larger than a typical combustion sized engine.

• It may take many years in order to establish a customer base.

• It will be a while before costs are dramatically reduced and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are produced and run at efficient costs.

• A hydrogen fuel cell vehicle will not travel as far as a gasoline-powered vehicle hence more stops to fill up are neccessary.

• They may encounter difficulties in countries that frequently hit freezing temperatures.

• Biofuels and battery-powered electric vehicles are also being invented, decreasing the funding and distribution system of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

• Refueling stations will have to be constructed.