What future does it hold for hydrogen fuel cell cars? There are several brands that place their hopes on this being one of the most sought-after mechanics in the future. Among these brands is Toyota, which has been one of those that has shown the most interest in this particular type of electric mobility. So much so that it was a of the pioneers by putting the Mirai on the market, which already has two generations on the market.
However, later other brands have joined, such as Hyundai, which presented the Initium Concept just a few days ago and which it announces as the generational renewal of the Nexo, an electric SUV with a hydrogen cell that is currently sold in Europe for a price of about 80,000 euros. But How are sales of these models going?
Hydrogen cars are sinking in Europe
In general, it can be said that cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells have really low sales around the world. During 2023, a total of 14,451 cars were registered with this mechanics around the world, according to figures from SNE Research. This figure already represented a significant drop, since in 2022 just over 20,700 vehicles were sold. For reference, during the first half of 2024, registrations have fallen by 34% compared to the same period last year. This indicates that the year will end with record low numbers for this engine.
On the other hand, in the same way Production of so-called ‘green hydrogen’ has fallenwhich is generated through totally sustainable processes. Specifically, the European Union aims to have an annual consumption of 20 million tons of this sustainable product by 2030; Currently, of the 7.2 million tons consumed per year, only 0.3% is generated through this ‘green’ process.
This is because the sustainable production of this product is much more expensive than that carried out with more ‘traditional’ and polluting processes. Therefore, it is a variant that generates many more points, since the profit margin is greater on a fuel that, in itself, is already sold very little in Europe (and throughout the world).
What future does the electric car with a hydrogen fuel cell hold?
Many anticipated years ago that this motorization could be better for the general public than battery electric cars. However, the latter has precisely had a more intense development and, today, is presented as an infinitely cheaper alternative and with a much more generous network of ‘refueling’ facilities. Fuel cell models have the advantage that they can be recharged as quickly as a vehicle with a thermal engine.
Therefore, the future that is predicted for this type of mechanics is not that of the general market, but rather that intended for large cargo and transport vehicles where the introduction of large batteries would hardly make sense. We talk about large cargo ships or even commercial airplanes. There is also talk of introducing it in competitions or specific sports cars. However, today this type of adoption seems distant, even more so given its sales figures in Europe.
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