Comparative Performance Analysis of Plug‐In Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle With Battery Electric Vehicle and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle

ABSTRACT This research compares the performance of plug‐in fuel cell electric vehicles (PFCEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) using MATLAB Simulink. The simulations were run for 1800 s using the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Cycle (WLTC 3a), spanning a distance of 23 km, to assess important performance characteristics such as energy efficiency, consumption, emissions, and life cycle costs. The PFCEV architecture, which combines a medium‐sized fuel cell and a sizable battery pack, has a strategic advantage because it requires fewer charging stations than BEVs and fewer hydrogen filling stations than FCEVs. The findings reveal that PFCEVs provide a unique combination of high efficiency, low emissions, rapid recharging, and greater driving range while requiring minimal hydrogen infrastructure. Compared to BEVs, PFCEVs minimize range anxiety while improving grid stability, and unlike FCEVs, they maximize hydrogen utilization via a complicated power management system. This study highlighted PFCEVs as a viable choice for sustainable mobility, serving as a valuable link between BEVs and FCEVs in the evolution of electric transportation. The findings indicate that PFCEVs have a good possibility of becoming a preferred vehicle technology, bridging the gap between battery and hydrogen‐powered electric vehicles while addressing infrastructure and efficiency challenges.