How efficient is a fuel cell?

Question

How efficient is a fuel cell?

Answer 1

The best is about 70% efficient the average is right about 40%

Answer 2

a fuel cell in a car is just a way of storing energy, instead of using batteries to store the energy (electrical car) which has about a 95% efficiency (power consumed --> motion)  a fuel cell has an efficiency of about 55% which is substantially lower.  If they can figure out a way to make batteries charge faster (they have cars that can go 150 miles on a charge) then there would be no need for hydrogen.  Electric vehicles have much more potential, but ice or internal combustion engines which is a normal automobile has an efficiency of about 20% which is why hydrogen is creating a buzz but electric vehicles should be much more desired with the higher efficiency.

Answer 3

Three prototype fuel cell-powered transit buses operating at AC Transit in Oakland, California, since March 20, 2006

Monthly average fuel economy for the fuel cell buses .

The fuel cell buses averaged 5.50 miles per kg of hydrogen for the evaluation period, which equates to 6.22 miles per diesel gallon equivalent.

Cost per Mile (without warranty costs) – The fuel cell buses are 71% higher than the diesel buses

If you want read more here

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandf...

Answer 4

The efficiency of a fuel cell is dependent on the amount of power drawn from it. Drawing more power means drawing more current, which increases the losses in the fuel cell. As a general rule, the more power (current) drawn, the lower the efficiency. Most losses manifest themselves as a voltage drop in the cell, so the efficiency of a cell is almost proportional to its voltage.