Sound like a pipe dream? Think again. Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles (FCVs) are coming to a lot near you, and fuel stations aren’t far behind—they’re already there in small numbers on the West Coast.
“The U.S. is making progress on the development of a hydrogen station network, especially in California,” said Toyota Advanced Technologies Group national manager Craig Scott. “Today there are about 25 retail locations in California, with about 17 more in various stages of development.”
Funding currently exists for 100 hydrogen fuel stations across California. Scott admitted that widespread adoption and development of hydrogen fuel-station infrastructure is necessary for technology to truly take hold. The brand has a major interest in doing so: Toyota has released the Mirai, one of the first commercially sold hydrogen vehicles in the country.
“Hydrogen is an important long-term technology initiative for Toyota,” Scott said. “When we launched Mirai, our president, Akio Toyoda, explained that hydrogen represents the next 100 years for us. The transition to carbon-free fuels and zero-emission-vehicle technology will happen over a period of time measured in decades, not years.”
While the implementation of hydrogen infrastructure in the United States is still largely contained to California (there are three stations on the Eastern seaboard), other countries have already committed major resources to the green energy source.
As home to the largest concentration of hydrogen car manufacturers, Japan not surprisingly has a more robust network of hydrogen fueling stations than other countries. The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry recently set a goal of having 40,000 FCVs on the road by 2020, just in time for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. There are currently 80 fueling stations across that country, but the government is aiming to double that by the time the torch is lit.
The island nation plans to make its hydrogen dream a reality through public/private partnerships with both energy companies and automakers. By investing big in its own infrastructure and production, Japan hopes it can create an economy-of-scale effect that drives down the price of both FCVs and hydrogen infrastructure.
Meanwhile, in Europe, similar plans to cooperatively develop both FCVs and the infrastructure to go with them are underway. Two major German automakers are in the final stages of developing production versions of FCVs. By 2023, Europe’s largest economy plans to have 400 stations across the country (currently fewer than 50 are in operation), creating an environment where economies of scale can take effect for automakers and suppliers.
Elsewhere in Europe, population-dense nations that place a high value on green energy already have robust functioning networks of hydrogen stations. Denmark—where approximately a dozen stations are currently operating, with more on the way—has partnered with its neighboring Nordic states Norway and Sweden, as well as Germany, to ensure that travel routes between major cities are outfitted with fueling stations.
No discussion of hydrogen infrastructure is complete without mentioning the green elephant in the room: battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). The demand and technology for BEVs have soared in recent years, and many critics are quick to suggest that consumers and indeed infrastructure developers must choose one or the other.
“People often pit BEVs against FCVs, but I say that’s silly—this is not a zero-sum game,” Scott explained. “Any technology that drives society toward less carbon in our transportation system should be embraced. BEVs work for some customers, while FCVs, I believe, can work for many more. The idea is to make the transition easy and seamless for the customer.”
With the exception of California, the United States is far from having a robust hydrogen infrastructure, but developments in the Golden State, Japan, and Europe suggest this could change quickly. A recent independent market research report posited that by 2020, enough infrastructure will be in place around the globe to jump-start the FCV market. By 2050, the report argued, FCVs will dominate the auto industry. As more stations are built and FCVs become cheaper, it’s only a matter of time before hydrogen is a standard option on the road.
