Technical review of commercial LT-PEMFC technologies: Performance, applications and challenges

Abstract

This manuscript presents a comprehensive technical review of low-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (LT-PEMFCs), focusing on their performance, applications and current challenges within commercial contexts. LT-PEMFCs have reached commercial deployment in light-duty vehicles, buses, trains, heavy-duty trucks, stationary combined heat and power units and early maritime platforms. This review consolidates datasheet-based specifications and reconstructed performance parameters from leading manufacturers, complemented by qualitative evidence from large-scale deployments in Japan and China, to provide the first cross-sectoral benchmarking of LT-PEMFC systems. The analysis is structured around the key performance indicators (KPIs) of the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking and the U.S. Department of Energy, which define quantitative targets for 2024 and 2030. Results show that while several light-duty and bus platforms already meet or approach KPI compliance for hydrogen consumption and efficiency, other sectors such as heavy-duty, stationary and maritime remain below target ranges due to integration constraints and limited transparency in datasheet reporting. The study further highlights divergences between laboratory-reported stack metrics and commercial module specifications, demonstrating the need for harmonized definitions of volumetric power density, efficiency at rated power and durability. By situating catalogue-only and prototype systems within the technological pipeline, the review clarifies how near-term developments may close performance gaps and reduce platinum dependency, while also acknowledging the economic and infrastructural dimensions that condition future adoption. This includes recent advances in PGM-free catalysts, alloyed and core–shell architectures, and ionomer-free electrodes, which complement low-PGM approaches in reducing material cost and supply risk. The contribution lies in delivering a transparent and replicable framework that not only maps the current state of LT-PEMFC commercialization but also provides directionality for research, policy and industrial innovation on the pathway to 2030 deployment objectives. This represents the first systematic cross-sectoral benchmarking of LT-PEMFCs that integrates datasheet-derived and reconstructed specifications with DOE and CHJU KPI frameworks, providing both quantitative visualizations and a replicable methodology that clarifies current achievements while indicating where targeted innovation is needed to reach 2030 objectives. • First cross-sectoral benchmarking of commercial LT-PEMFC systems against DOE and CHJU KPIs. • Light-duty and bus platforms reach near-KPI compliance, while heavy-duty and maritime remain below targets. • Commercial datasheet values diverge from lab stack parameters, showing need for standardized reporting. • Near-term advances in PGM-free and low-PGM catalysts mitigate platinum dependency and reduce system costs. • 2030 LT-PEMFC targets demand integration of technical, economic, and infrastructural dimensions in one framework.

Topics & Concepts