Electric vs Hydrogen: The Future of Personal Car Transport in the UK

Ali Khan, UK Sales and Business Development Director at Vestal Mobility, looks at the pros and cons of hydrogen and electric power in the race to decarbonise the humble car.   

As the UK moves away from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, a crucial debate has emerged across public and private forums: will electric vehicles (EVs) or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) define the future of personal transportation?   

Both technologies offer significant environmental benefits over fossil fuels, but they come with distinct advantages and challenges. ‘Challenges’ is a word that perhaps defines the transition from ICE vehicles to something less environmentally damaging. This is perhaps the only transition in the history of the motor car that is a factor of external factors (the environment) rather than simple evolution of the car to its next logical better, faster, more efficient, more convenient generation. While EV and FVCs can offer many of those benefits, neither can be described as ‘universally’ more convenient than ICE right now.  

With the notable exception of those with low-rate home EV charging and a roster of generally shorter journeys throughout the year, refuelling either new technology remains challenging outside of the home. ICE cars are still perceived as more convenient, with vehicles that will do over 500 miles to a fuel tank and can be filled up quickly at any of the UK’s 9,000 petrol stations. 

So will FCVs, that more closely replicate the ‘filling station’ model in terms of location and speed of refuelling, win out over EVs?    

Efficiency and environmental 

One of the primary factors in this debate is efficiency. When comparing the two technologies, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) have an edge. Their overall efficiency, from power generation to forward motion, exceeds 70%, meaning a significant portion of the electricity generated and drawn from the grid is effectively converted into motion. The process of generating that energy in the first place is greener, given that over 40% of the UK’s grid electricity is now generated from renewables, not including those who charge at home with the addition of domestic solar power.   

Hydrogen FCVs are far less efficient, with an overall efficiency of around 30–40%. This loss stems from the multi-step process required to produce hydrogen, compress and transport it, and then convert it back into electricity within the vehicle. The extra energy losses at each stage make hydrogen less efficient in terms of simple energy-in vs energy-out.  

Beyond efficiency, environmental impact is crucial in determining the best long-term solution. EVs and hydrogen cars emit no greenhouse gases at the point of use, making them far cleaner than traditional petrol or diesel vehicles. However, the production process for each type of energy source tells a different story. EVs are powered by electricity, which can increasingly be generated from renewable sources. Yet, their batteries require raw materials like lithium, cobalt, and nickel, whose extraction has significant environmental and ethical concerns.   

Ironically, hydrogen’s production remains largely dependent on fossil fuels, with steam methane reforming (SMR) being the dominant method, which itself releases CO2. Depending on the production method and carbon-recapture technology used, creating 1kg of Hydrogen will generate 9-12kg of CO2 without carbon capture but only 2-4kg with.  

That is still far better than burning fossil fuels, though. One kilogram of hydrogen will offer up to 20kWh of usable energy in an FCV, equivalent to the usable energy from about 10 litres of petrol in a typical ICE. Burning that petrol would produce over 20kg of CO2, so Hydrogen is still a clear winner over ICE for CO2 emissions. 

As for EVs, the maths is more challenging to pin down due to the dynamic nature of renewable vs. fossil fuel energy production. Charge your car using an energy company that only buys energy from renewable sources (i.e. Octopus) or charge at home from domestic solar, and the running CO2 emissions are virtually zero. Charge from the UK’s grid using a typical daily mix of energy sources, and that 20kW will have produced around 6kg of CO2 to generate today. That figure is falling on the strength of renewables in the UK, with clean energy targets for 2030 and net-zero by 2050 tipping the CO2 balance in favour of BEVs even charging publicly going forward.  

Perhaps the defining factor in the CO2 emissions of hydrogen versus electricity will be getting that energy to the end user. The UK is already mapped with a copper grid, albeit needing upgrading in many areas, meaning transporting energy to the point of charging is easy and relatively efficient using HV transmission to reduce cable losses. Moving compressed hydrogen to service stations across the UK will demand a significant road transport system (like shipping petrol and diesel) that will generate significant CO2.  

The convenience factor  

For the 1.3 million BEV owners and 740,000 PHEVs already driving on UK roads by the end of 2024, the convenience factor cannot be underestimated. A survey by the Electric Vehicle Association England found that 81% of EV owners do most or all their charging at home or at work, meaning a trip to a service station is largely a thing of the past.  

Five hours of charging overnight with a simple 7kW charger would deliver around 35kWh of charge to the vehicle. That would provide a range of 100 miles in an SUV-style EV and nearer 170 miles in small EVs like the Tesla Model 3 or Hyundai Ionic. Given that the UK’s average private car mileage across all fuels is likely to dip to around 7000 this year, according to MOT data, very few people are regularly doing anything like 100-170 miles per day.  

For the majority of home-charging BEV and PHEV owners, unlike ICE or potential hydrogen vehicles, they almost always leave the house with a full charge and maximum range and do not have to stop at a service station or public charging point for the vast majority of their journeys. 

The icing on the cake for EVs is the UK's growing number of dedicated overnight EV charging electricity tariffs from as little as 8.5p/kWh. That 35kWh / 100-170mile range will cost less than £3 in fuel.  

Out of home 

Infrastructure will likely be the deciding factor in the race between electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles. The UK is already well on its way to building a robust charging network, with over 80,000 public charging points and substantial government investment to expand the network further. Well over 1m home chargers have been installed in the UK already, with many owners on a waiting list for installation. 

In contrast, hydrogen refuelling infrastructure remains sparse, with only around a dozen public refuelling stations across the country – and only 200 in Europe. Building a nationwide hydrogen refuelling network would require massive investment and logistical changes, as hydrogen production, storage, and distribution are far more complex than simply expanding an existing electrical grid.  

Shell has recently closed all their hydrogen filling stations in the UK and much of the US, and there are just two hydrogen cars currently available to private buyers in the UK - the Hyundai Nexo and Toyota Mirai. According to the DVLA, there are only 98 Toyota 

Mirai and 29 Nexo registered on UK roads. That is 0.006% of the number of BEVs and PHEVs registered on UK roads today.  

Conclusion: the future is electric 

Considering all these factors, it becomes clear that electric vehicles are the far more viable option for the future of personal transport in the UK, than hydrogen. Their superior energy efficiency, expanding infrastructure, and ongoing battery advancements position them as the frontrunners in the transition to greener transportation.  

While hydrogen technology may yet have a role in UK transport, particularly in industrial and heavy-duty applications, it will not replace EVs as the dominant solution for private vehicles. With continued investment and technological advancements, the UK is well on its way to an electric future, ensuring a cleaner and more sustainable mode of personal transportation for the years to come. 

Ends

Editors notes

Vestel, part of Zorlu Holdings, is one of Europe's largest electronics and appliance manufacturers, best known for being the OEM partner behind one in every three TVs and display screens sold in Europe. Based in Manisa, Turkey, Vestel City is Europe’s biggest single-site manufacturing complex, where a dedicated EV division has been designing and manufacturing EV charging solutions for household name brands for over five years. Working towards becoming a net-zero emissions company, Vestel is leveraging its manufacturing expertise, economies of scale and European location to reduce the cost and carbon footprint of EV charging solutions.

With a production capacity of over 700,000 EV charging units per year, Vestel makes a broad range of devices, from compact chargers for home use to the largest commercial fast charging stations for enterprise businesses and public infrastructure. Alongside its own brand EV chargers, Vestel will continue to manufacture OEM charging solutions for premium electric vehicle brands, service station networks, and electricity suppliers across Europe, all “Powered by Vestel”.