Are Hydrogen Cars Are Better Than Electric? Currently, an electric vehicle revolves around a central battery pack that provides power to the electric motor. This allows energy to be generated externally, and just to be stored onboard. Hydrogen fuel cars take a different approach, generating electricity onboard instead. Hydrogen cars are also known as hydrogen fuel cell cars, are a type of passenger vehicle separate from electric cars. Hydrogen-powered cars are more similar to electric cars in the fact that they have no internal combustion engine. Here is everything you need to know about hydrogen cars and whether they are better than electric cars.