Twenty years ago, it seemed like hydrogen fuel cell vehicles would have a bright future. The cars were cool — luxury sedans with sleek interiors and futuristic-looking touchscreens. They were environmentally friendly, with water vapor as their only byproduct.
Regulators were on board, promising big investments for the fueling infrastructure. A bet on the most abundant element in the universe in the fight against air pollution, and eventually climate change, seemed like a sure thing. But despite tens of thousands of vehicles sold and billions of dollars spent on fueling, that bet has yet to pay off.
California remains the only state in the country with any sort of hydrogen fueling infrastructure, with fewer than 50 stations currently in operation. Vehicle sales have essentially collapsed: only 322 fuel cell vehicles were sold in the first half of 2024, 82 percent lower than a year ago. The fueling infrastructure also seems on the brink of collapse.
Stations are shutting down, and the ones that are still in operation are routinely offline due to tech problems and fuel shortages. The price of hydrogen continues to climb, as production problems and supply shortages roil the market. Tesla CEO Elon Musk called hydrogen fuel cell vehicles “mind-bogglingly stupid” Critics have panned hydrogen as an inefficient and illogical way to decarbonize transportation.
After all, battery-electric vehicles already exist. Tesla CEO Elon Musk called hydrogen fuel cell vehicles “mind-boggli.