Batteries, Fuel Cells, or Hydrogen Combustion? 3 Technologies Racing for the Future of Cars

Battery electric vehicles surpassed 20 million units sold in 2025. That number alone puts them at the front of the automotive technology race, yet the future is far from settled. BMW, Toyota, and Hyundai are still betting on hydrogen — but in two radically different ways: fuel cells and combustion engines that burn hydrogen instead of petrol.

Battery Electric Vehicles Lead the Pack Right Now

A conventional electric car relies on a large battery that stores electricity, then sends it directly to an electric motor that drives the wheels. The advantage of this technology is clear in its ubiquity — thousands of charging points exist across global markets, with hundreds of models available to buyers. Cars like the BMW i7 now offer ranges exceeding 600 and 700 kilometres under test conditions. But the main challenges remain charging time, battery weight, cost. The availability of robust charging infrastructure in all regions. The International Energy Agency notes that the global average range for EVs currently hovers around 380 kilometres, alongside rapid expansion of charging infrastructure on long-distance routes.

Hydrogen Fuel Cells: Electric Without the Big Battery

A hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle is essentially an electric car too, but instead of storing large amounts of electricity in a battery, it carries hydrogen tanks and generates electricity on board. Hydrogen enters the fuel cell and reacts with oxygen, producing electricity to power the electric motor, with water as the primary direct output. The modern Hyundai NEXO reveals the key advantage of this technology, with a declared range in Europe of around 826 kilometres, while hydrogen tanks can be refilled in roughly five minutes. The figure is striking. Yet the problem lies in the scarcity of hydrogen refuelling stations and weak global infrastructure so far.

Hydrogen Combustion Engines: A Completely Different Path

There is a third route being pursued by Toyota and BMW — combustion engines that use hydrogen instead of petrol. These engines retain roughly the same architecture as conventional motors but burn hydrogen directly to generate power. The advantage here is that manufacturers can leverage their existing production lines without a complete rebuild. Is that enough to attract consumers? So far, no hydrogen combustion models exist in wide commercial volumes, but experiments continue in Europe and Japan.

What Determines the Winner?

Adoption, infrastructure, and cost. These three factors will decide which technology imposes itself in the long run. Battery cars are marching steadily toward dominance, but hydrogen fuel cells may find a niche in specific sectors like heavy trucks and long-range commercial vehicles. IEA data shows EV sales reached about a quarter of global new car sales in 2025. Expansion continues with more models and charging stations coming online. For now, no single option eliminates the others, but the competition between these three technologies will shape the BMW prices, Toyota. Hyundai markets in the years ahead.