Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (ICE)
Background
Some vehicles with an internal combustion engine (ICE) are specially designed to run on hydrogen. While hydrogen infrastructure is still ramping up, current hydrogen ICE vehicles are designed to run on either gasoline or liquid hydrogen.
Benefits
Hydrogen ICE vehicles provide a good transition to fuel cells and result in fewer smog and greenhouse gas emissions than their gasoline counterparts.
Hydrogen Production
Hydrogen can be produced from many domestic feed stocks, such as natural gas and renewable resources like water, using electrolysis. While the most common method of making hydrogen, using natural gas reformation, results in fewer smog-forming and greenhouse gas emissions than traditional vehicles, California is working to increase use of renewable production sources.
Availability
Automakers previously conducted demonstration projects with this technology but have no near term plans to market hydrogen ICE passenger vehicles.
Incentives
Check out the incentives page for information about incentives.
Fueling
Currently, there are close to 40 research, public and private hydrogen fueling stations operating in California or in development stages. Below are some resources for finding hydrogen fueling stations:
- California Fuel Cell Partnership: The CaFCP maintains a map of all hydrogen fueling stations planned and in operation in California.
- CleanCarMaps.com: Searchable database of EV chargers and alternative fueling stations in California, including compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum, ethanol (E85), hydrogen and biodiesel.
- U.S. Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center: A site developed by the Department of Energy that provides maps to refueling stations in the US for CNG, LPG/propane, ethanol, electric, biodiesel, hydrogen, and liquefied natural gas (LNG).