Despite the buzz surrounding hydrogen as a potential alternative to electric vehicles , the reality paints a different picture.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), there are 27 million EVs globally last year, dwarfing the mere 72,000 hydrogen fuel cell cars on the roads. In the UK, there are currently only 6 hydrogen filling stations, with 265 across Europe. The UK Government’s Lifecycle Analysis of UK Road Vehicles confirms that EVs are “much more efficient” than hydrogen cars, consuming only a third of the energy.
Moreover, lifecycle emissions from hydrogen passenger cars are estimated to be 60% to 70% higher than those from EVs, even if the hydrogen is produced from low-carbon sources. Numerous barriers hinder widespread adoption of hydrogen, including infrastructure challenges like high-pressure, low-temperature requirements, energy-intensive production processes, and significant logistical and storage hurdles. Additionally, the cost of hydrogen pumps would surpass that of petrol or diesel stations if “green” hydrogen were produced at scale.
Shell’s closure of all hydrogen filling stations in the UK and California underscores the challenges facing hydrogen infrastructure. While car manufacturers continue to introduce more EV models, only two hydrogen cars are currently available to private buyers in the UK market: the Hyundai Nexo and Toyota Mirai. Despite this, DVLA data indicates minimal adoption, with just 98 Toyota Mirai and 29 Nexo vehicles registered on UK roads.
Although hydrogen may find applications in heavy goods vehicles, trains, or marine transport, experts widely agree that its viability for passenger cars is highly unlikely. In essence, hydrogen’s potential to displace EVs remains speculative and impractical in the context of current technological and infrastructure limitations.