Hydrogen fuel cell technology is fairly inexpensive and efficient. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe making it cheaper than gas. According to the U.S news and world report it would cost about 2 dollars/gallon if hydrogen factories were common vs about 3 dollars/gallon. Also, Hydrogen fuel cells are way more efficient than combustion engines because they can run at miles per gallon.
Hydrogen fuel cells may sound pretty complicated and exotic; however the process is quite simple. Hydrogen is pumped into a tank where it reacts with a catalyst, typically platinum which strips electrons off of the hydrogen. Then the hydrogen with missing electrons combines with another hydrogen and when it confronts air, the oxygen combines with the 2 hydrogen to create water. Simultaneously, the electrons get sent through wires which powers electric motors turning the vehicles wheels. The hydrogen fuel cell typically generates more power than needed which is stored in lithium batteries (there more efficient than lead) so that when the car needs extra power, it can receive it.
Hydrogen factories typically use water or natural gas from which they extract hydrogen. Some plants use electrolysis to generate hydrogen; they send electricity through water which causes the hydrogen to bubble out of the tank and into collection pipes. Other plants free hydrogen atoms from CH4 (natural gas).
Hydrogen tanks in cars are fairly safe; even thought hydrogen is flammable, it would escape quickly into the atmosphere because it is 14 times lighter than area. If all the hydrogen escapes there is no fuel for a fire.
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