There are two drawbacks in a Hydrogen powered system:
1. Storage
Storage of Hydrogen needs to be in special canisters as it is one of the most volatile substances. It needs to be kept in liquid form. Hydrogen gas turns to liquid at minus 253 degrees Celsius. That alone is a drawback on it’s own.
2. Production
Best way to produce Hydrogen gas is through electrolysis. But you need to put in more energy, than the energy hydrogen would provide. So it would be an exercise that wouldn’t cover it’s cost. There is a common method of Carbon Monoxide chemically reacting with water under heat to produce Hydrogen. But it also releases Carbon Dioxide. Hence not environmentally friendly. Therefore, until we find a method of electrolysis that is economically viable like using Sun’s rays to have electrolysis, best way to produce hydrogen is still at large.
But there is another way to produce Hydrogen by extracting it from Hydrogen Sulphide. H2S is a by product of many industrial endeavours. it is non environmental and obnoxious gas. But it can be used to produce Hydrogen.
Guess what? After 200m depth, Black Sea bottom is covered in Hydrogen Sulphide.
Human ingenuity can overcome both storage and production dilemmas. It is a matter of time. Major German, SKorean and Japanese automotive manufacturers like BMW, Hyundai, Toyota, and Honda have chosen to go the hydrogen route.
Future is Hydrogen.