Automakers struggle bringing hydrogen cars to market
Automakers struggle bringing hydrogen cars to market ANAHEIM, Calif. — Automakers continue to work on hydrogen fuel cell development, although the effort has played second fiddle to battery technology and […] The post Automakers struggle bringing hydrogen cars to market appeared first on Hydrogen Central.
Automakers struggle bringing hydrogen cars to market
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Automakers continue to work on hydrogen fuel cell development, although the effort has played second fiddle to battery technology and electric vehicles.
Toyota, Hyundai and Honda all highlighted their efforts at the ACT Expo clean transportation conference April 28 to May 1. Big truck companies, including Volvo Group and Cellcentric, a joint venture between Daimler Truck and Volvo Group, also displayed new fuel cell technology.
However, automakers and other hydrogen fuel cell technology developers still face hurdles, including limited fueling stations compared to combustion fuels and battery charging stations, a lack of green hydrogen created without fossil fuels, and high prices.
Hydrogen cost per kilogram
The Iwatani hydrogen fueling station in nearby Seal Beach, Calif., is selling a kilogram of the fuel for $29.99. That’s equivalent to about $9.37 a gallon, according to the federal National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Toyota is looking for ways to expand the fuel cell technology originally developed for its Mirai passenger sedan. Sales of the vehicle are tiny and limited geographically to places like California, where there are hydrogen filling stations. Toyota is working to make the vehicle more attractive by giving $15,000 of fueling credits with a lease or purchase.
The automaker’s secondary plan was to use its fuel cells in heavy-duty trucks, and it has worked with Kenworth Truck Co. to bring them to market this year. But Kenworth officials said they haven’t seen much interest and need more time to launch production.
Kenworth is looking at three factors, said chief engineer Joe Adams. It needs customer demand, a vehicle that is competitive with zero-emission electric trucks and hydrogen infrastructure that would allow customers to fuel their vehicles.
Adams told Automotive News,
When those things are all there, we’ll be ready to roll out something,
“We’re continuing to dial in our piece of the recipe and calibrate and get a cost-effective, high-quality premium solution for our customers.”
Toyota is moving forward, assembling a small fleet of fuel cell Class 8 heavy-duty trucks to service its North America Parts Center California in Ontario, Calif., said Jordan Choby, group vice president of powertrain engineering at the automaker. It will also install a hydrogen fueling station at the complex.
Choby said Toyota still has confidence in its fuel cell truck program.
He said,
There’s a little bit of ups and downs with that project as a whole for commercialization, but there’s definitely still interest,
Toyota to use fuel cells for stationary power
Toyota also is pursuing the use of fuel cells to provide stationary power.
It announced an agreement with Rehlko at ACT Expo to provide fuel cells for stationary generators. Choby said there’s a market for systems to power data centers, hospitals, warehouses and off-grid networks.
He said,
We definitely think it’s very interesting and there’s a lot of activity out there,
Other automakers are also discovering uses for fuel cell technology that’s yet to find its footing in the light passenger vehicle market.
At ACT Expo, Hyundai revealed an updated version of its hydrogen-powered Xcient truck designed for North America.
A 180-kilowatt hydrogen fuel cell system paired with a 350-kilowatt electric motor powers the truck. It includes a Class 8 tractor variant suited for North American roads, said Hyundai, which has run a pilot program with 30 Xcient trucks at the ports of Oakland and Richmond.
The company overhauled the truck’s interior design to include a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch infotainment system. Hyundai added multiple advanced driver-assist systems to the vehicle, including lane-departure warning, smart cruise control and forward collision-avoidance assist.
Ken Ramirez, head of global commercial vehicle and hydrogen business for Hyundai, at an ACT Expo press conference, said:
Hyundai’s commitment to innovation and sustainability remains resolute, driven by an unwavering commitment to hydrogen,
The automaker also said it would launch a hydrogen refueling and electric charging station in Savannah, Ga., the first of its kind for Class 8 trucks. The station is scheduled to open by the end of the year.
Hyundai’s fuel cell technology comes from its work on the Nexo crossover. Like Toyota, it developed a passenger vehicle application first but has had limited market success. Hyundai sold just 94 Nexos in the U.S. last year, according to the Automotive News Research & Data Center. Toyota sold only 499 Mirais in the U.S. in 2024.
Honda said,
Honda is taking a similar approach. A fuel cell Class 8 tractor dominated its stand at ACT Expo.
Three Honda FC Modules — utilizing the system that also powers the CR-V e:FCEV — drive the truck,
The automaker said it has launched talks with “potential customers” for the next-generation fuel cell module and plans to manufacture in 2027. Honda said the new system will reduce costs by half, double durability, and be far more powerful than its current model.
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Automakers struggle bringing hydrogen cars to market, source
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