Blockchain-based traceability, certification, and maintenance of FCEV components

The growing adoption of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVS) has increased the need for secure, transparent, and verifiable certification and lifecycle tracking of hydrogen-related components. Current practices rely on fragmented documentation and centralized record-keeping, which creates risks of data manipulation, incomplete maintenance histories, and limited visibility for regulators and service providers. This paper introduces a blockchain-based framework that integrates decentralized storage, oracle-driven automation, and three interoperable smart contracts to manage stakeholder registration, component certification, vehicle assembly validation, and maintenance tracking. Implemented and evaluated in an EVM-compatible environment, the system enforces strict role-based access control, generates immutable audit trails, and automates both failure-based and mileage-based maintenance triggers using real-time inputs. A gas-cost analysis demonstrates that all contract functions operate at minimal cost under current Ethereum conditions, supporting the feasibility of real-world deployment. Overall, the proposed framework improves traceability, regulatory compliance, and operational accountability by enabling near real-time verification of certification records and reducing manual audit processing steps compared to traditional document-based certification workflows.