Regan Brown
Hydrogen fuel cell cars are electric vehicles that use a fuel cell stack to generate electricity from hydrogen and oxygen, eliminating the need for a large, heavy battery. While hydrogen fuel cell technology offers advantages such as shorter refuelling times compared to battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), sales of hydrogen fuel cell cars have been struggling. In the second quarter of 2024, hydrogen fuel cell car sales in the United States dropped by 91%, with only 99 vehicles sold. Limited model availability, high prices, and insufficient refuelling infrastructure have been cited as factors contributing to the decline in sales. However, some car manufacturers remain optimistic about the potential of hydrogen fuel cell technology, and initiatives are underway to expand the refuelling network and improve accessibility.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle sales in the US | As of mid-2022, there are 17,000 or fewer hydrogen-powered vehicles in the US, all in California. |
| Sales compared to EVs | In comparison, almost 3 million EVs have been sold in the US. |
| Sales in Q2 2024 | Only 99 new hydrogen fuel cell cars were sold in the US in Q2 2024, a 91% year-over-year decline. |
| Sales of specific models | Honda has ended production of all models of the Clarity. Hyundai has sold about 1,600 Nexo SUVs in six years. Toyota has sold roughly 14,300 Mirai sedans in the US. |
| Global sales in Q1 2024 | Only 2,382 fuel cell electric vehicles were sold across the world in Q1 2024, a 36.4% year-over-year decline. |
| Sales of specific companies in Q1 2024 | Toyota sold 868 units, a 4.2% year-over-year decline. Hyundai sold 691 units, a 66.2% year-over-year decline. |
| Sales compared to the EV market | In 2023, 9.5 million full battery EVs were sold globally. This number is expected to reach 17 million in 2024. |
| Reasons for low sales | Limited availability of vehicles and refueling infrastructure, high prices, and lack of advantages over EVs in terms of range and refueling time. |
| Refueling process | Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are refueled through special pumps, and the infrastructure for these pumps is expanding worldwide. |
| Cost | Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are more expensive than comparable e-cars with batteries or internal combustion engines. |
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What You'll Learn
Hydrogen fuel cell cars are a tiny fraction of the market
In the US, hydrogen car sales are collapsing. In the second quarter of 2024, only 99 new hydrogen fuel cell cars were sold, a 91% year-over-year drop to the lowest level since 2015. This decline can be attributed to several factors, including limited vehicle availability and refueling infrastructure, high prices, and increasing charging costs.
As of mid-2022, there were 17,000 or fewer hydrogen-powered vehicles on US roads, all in California, the only state with a network of retail hydrogen fueling stations. California had 54 open retail hydrogen stations as of July 3, 2024, down from 97 in January of the same year. The state has been investing heavily in clean energy funds to accelerate sales of hydrogen and battery vehicles, with plans to have 200 hydrogen stations and 250,000 charging stations by 2025.
Despite the efforts of car manufacturers like Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai to enter the hydrogen fuel cell market, sales have been disappointing. Toyota's Mirai, for example, has found only 5,000 buyers since its introduction in 2015, and Hyundai has sold just 1,600 Nexo SUVs in six years. Honda has now ended production of its Clarity Fuel Cell model, and even Tesla CEO Elon Musk has expressed skepticism about hydrogen fuel cells, calling them "silly for cars."
The challenges facing hydrogen fuel cell cars, including the lack of infrastructure and high costs, have made it difficult for them to gain traction in the market, and they continue to represent only a small fraction of vehicle sales.
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Limited availability of vehicles and refuelling infrastructure
The limited availability of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and refuelling infrastructure is a significant factor in the slow uptake of hydrogen fuel cell cars. As of mid-2022, there were 17,000 or fewer hydrogen-powered vehicles on US roads, all of them in California, the only state with a network of retail hydrogen fuelling stations. California had 54 open retail hydrogen stations as of July 3, 2024, with a total of 85 light-duty stations.
The limited availability of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and refuelling infrastructure is a chicken-and-egg problem. Car manufacturers are hesitant to produce more hydrogen fuel cell vehicles due to the limited refuelling infrastructure, and energy companies are hesitant to invest in building more hydrogen fuelling stations due to the limited number of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on the road.
However, there are efforts to break this cycle and expand the availability of both hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and refuelling infrastructure. Vehicle manufacturers such as BMW have joined initiatives like the Clean Energy Partnership to drive the expansion of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure. The California Energy Commission is also supporting the adoption of hydrogen fuel cell electric cars by expanding the state's network of hydrogen refuelling stations. The Biden administration has made significant investments through grants and incentives to encourage the development of hydrogen fuelling infrastructure in the United States.
Despite these efforts, the limited availability of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and refuelling infrastructure remains a challenge. As of 2024, there are only a few hydrogen fuel cell vehicle models available in California, and the refuelling infrastructure is still limited outside of the state. The high prices of hydrogen and the inefficiency of hydrogen cars compared to battery-electric vehicles further discourage consumers from adopting hydrogen fuel cell cars.
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High prices of hydrogen make driving expensive
Hydrogen fuel cell cars are not picking up in sales. In fact, in the second quarter of 2024, sales dropped by 91% in the United States. As of mid-2022, there were 17,000 or fewer hydrogen-powered vehicles on US roads, all of them in California, the only state with a network of retail hydrogen fuelling stations.
One of the reasons for the poor sales of hydrogen fuel cell cars is the high price of hydrogen, which makes driving expensive. Hydrogen fuel contains less energy per unit volume than fossil fuels, making it more expensive on a per-gasoline-gallon-equivalent basis. The final cost of hydrogen depends on various factors, including where it is produced, how it is produced, and how close the end-user is to the production site.
The high cost of hydrogen is partly due to the lack of infrastructure to make production more cost-effective. Building a hydrogen pipeline network involves high initial capital costs, and hydrogen's properties present unique challenges to pipeline materials and compressor design. The demand for hydrogen in the chemical and manufacturing industries also affects the price, as every kilogram that gets produced is competitively sold.
There is hope that the cost of hydrogen will decrease in the future as production rates climb to meet rising demand. The goal is to get the cost of hydrogen down to \$2-4 per gallon of gasoline equivalent, or even lower. However, it is difficult to predict the market price, and the cost of hydrogen remains high for now, making it expensive to drive a hydrogen fuel cell car.
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Hydrogen cars are inefficient compared to battery-electric vehicles
Hydrogen fuel cell cars are inefficient compared to battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) due to several reasons. Firstly, hydrogen cars have limited refueling infrastructure, with very few refueling stations available. In contrast, BEVs can utilize the existing electricity distribution networks and only require charging endpoints, which are relatively cheap to install. This limited infrastructure for hydrogen cars makes them less convenient and reliable than BEVs.
Secondly, hydrogen cars are expensive to refuel, with costs ranging from $75 to $125 depending on the fuel tank size. In comparison, recharging the batteries of a BEV typically costs around $6 to $10. The high prices of hydrogen make driving expensive, impacting their efficiency in terms of overall running costs.
Additionally, hydrogen cars are inefficient in terms of energy conversion. The process of converting hydrogen gas into electricity to operate the vehicle is complex, leading to greater inefficiency compared to BEVs. In BEVs, around 80% of the total energy is utilized to power the vehicle, making them highly energy-efficient. On the other hand, hydrogen fuel cell cars lose energy during the conversion and transportation of hydrogen, resulting in lower overall efficiency.
Furthermore, the availability of hydrogen fuel cell car models is limited, with only a few options on the market. This limited selection restricts consumer choices and can impact the overall efficiency of the hydrogen car market. BEVs, on the other hand, have a wider range of models available, providing consumers with more options that cater to their specific needs and preferences.
While hydrogen cars offer advantages such as quick refueling and longer driving ranges, their inefficiencies compared to BEVs are significant. The high costs, limited infrastructure, and energy conversion inefficiencies make hydrogen cars less attractive to consumers, causing their sales to lag behind BEVs.
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Hydrogen fuel cell systems may cost less than lithium-ion batteries
Hydrogen fuel cell cars are not picking up in sales. In fact, in the second quarter of 2024, sales dropped by 91% in the United States. This is partly due to the limited availability of vehicles and refueling infrastructure. Additionally, the high prices of hydrogen and the inefficiency of hydrogen cars compared to battery-electric vehicles have contributed to the decline in sales.
Despite the challenges facing hydrogen fuel cell cars, there may be a future where hydrogen fuel cell systems cost less than lithium-ion batteries. Hydrogen fuel cells offer a potentially clean, energy-dense, and easy-to-recharge energy source for vehicles. Hydrogen has an energy-to-weight ratio ten times greater than lithium-ion batteries, resulting in a greater range while being lighter and occupying smaller volumes. Hydrogen fuel cells can also be recharged in a few minutes, similar to gasoline vehicles.
However, hydrogen fuel cells currently have significant costs, largely due to the use of platinum and the difficulty in storing and transporting hydrogen. The success of hydrogen as a consumer fuel depends on finding robust storage materials and developing a safe transportation system. Additionally, an estimated 60% of stored hydrogen energy is lost in the process of packaging energy, resulting in higher energy loss compared to lithium-ion battery use.
In contrast, lithium-ion batteries are much cheaper, easier to handle, and safer. They are also more stable and have established infrastructure and market share, suggesting that they will continue to dominate the electric car market in the next 20 years.
Nevertheless, hydrogen fuel cell technology is constantly evolving, and ongoing research aims to increase the efficiency of hydrogen production and extraction processes. With further advancements, hydrogen could become a cost-effective solution for increasing range and decreasing charging times in electric vehicles.
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Frequently asked questions
No. Sales of hydrogen fuel cell cars are declining. In the first quarter of 2024, only 2,382 fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) were sold worldwide, a 36.4% year-over-year decrease.
Hydrogen fuel cell cars are struggling to attract customers due to limited availability, high prices, and a lack of refueling infrastructure.
Efforts are being made to expand the refueling infrastructure. Vehicle manufacturers such as BMW have joined initiatives to drive the expansion of hydrogen refueling stations. California, the only US state with a network of retail hydrogen fueling stations, plans to have 100 stations by 2025.
Toyota, Hyundai, and Honda have offered hydrogen-powered cars for sale. However, Honda has ended production of its Clarity Fuel Cell model, and Hyundai has sold a limited number of its Nexo SUV. Toyota remains the largest player in the US consumer market for hydrogen fuel cell cars with its Mirai model.
