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汽车安全与节能学报

Journal of Automotive Safety and Energy ›› 2026, Vol. 17 ›› Issue (2): 149-169.DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-8484.2026.02.001

• Review, Progress and Prospects •     Next Articles

Key materials, technology status, and prospect analysis of proton exchange membrane fuel cells for hydrogen-based electric vehicles

LIU Yang1(), GUAN Sulin1, QIN Ziwei2, SHAO Qinsi1, NI Yun3, ZHAO Yufeng1, ZHANG Jiujun1,*()   

  1. 1 College of Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
    2 School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
    3 Jinhua University of Vocational Technology, Jinhua 321000, Zhejiang, China
  • Received:2026-03-01 Revised:2026-03-14 Online:2026-04-30 Published:2026-04-30
  • Contact: Prof. ZHANG Jiujun He is a Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, a Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada, and the President of the International Academy of Electrochemical Energy Science (IAOEES). He is also the Executive Director of the Chinese Society for Internal Combustion Engines and the Chairman of its Fuel Cell Engine Branch. He previously served as a Principal Research Scientist at the National Research Council Canada. Currently, he is the Dean of the College of Science and the Sustainable Energy Research Institute at Shanghai University, as well as the Dean of the College of Materials and Engineering and the Dean of the Research Institute of New Energy Materials and Engineering at Fuzhou University. To date, he has published more than 1 000 academic papers, authored/edited 31 books, 47 book chapters and 6 special issues, and contributed over 90 industrial R&D technical reports. He has also been granted more than 70 domestic and international patents. The published papers have been cited over 114 000 times (with an H-index of 149), and more than 100 papers have been cited more than 100 times. His main research areas cover fundamental scientific research and industrial application development in electrochemical energy storage and conversion, including fuel cells, high-energy secondary batteries, supercapacitors, electrochemical CO2 reduction, water electrolysis, and so on. E-mail:yangliu8651@shu.edu.cn;jiujun.zhang@fzu.edu.cn

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Abstract:

Guided by the “dual carbon” strategic goals, China's energy structure transformation has entered a critical phase. Hydrogen, as a clean, low-carbon, and abundant secondary energy source, has become an integral part of the national energy system. Among them, the transportation sector is a key area for achieving carbon emissions reductions. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, with advantages such as zero emissions, high efficiency, and rapid refueling, are widely recognized as a technically viable and scalable solution for the electrification of transportation. This paper reviews hydrogen fuel cells, primarily focusing on the working principles and core components (membrane electrode assemblies, catalysts, proton exchange membranes, etc.) of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), as well as their performance. It also analyzes the scientific and technological challenges confronted with fuel cells during commercialization. The paper examines and summarizes the effects of Pt-based catalyst degradation and carbon support corrosion on catalyst activity loss, and discusses trends toward enhancing catalyst activity and reducing costs. It concludes the factors affecting the durability of proton exchange membranes (PEMs) and proposes improvement measures such as chemical modification and physical reinforcement. It also explores the impact of mechanical and chemical degradation of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) under operating conditions on durability and lifespan, and summarizes the optimization strategies for the microstructure of the GDL and water/thermal management. Regarding the policy and market environment, this paper analyzes hydrogen energy policy trends in China and some advanced nations, it also elaborates on the evolutionary paths of China's two business models: the “vehicle-station-source” closed-loop and full-chain integration, and it expounds the commercialization progress of major global economies. Finally, recommendations are proposed for China's hydrogen fuel cell vehicle industry, emphasizing that overcoming the “bottleneck” of domestic production for critical materials, improving the standards system, and establishing a full-chain innovation ecosystem encompassing “technology research and development-pilot testing-commercial application” are indispensability tasks for driving the high-quality development of the automotive PEMFC industry.

Key words: proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), membrane electrode assembly, catalyst, gas diffusion layer (GDL)

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