While the majority of experts and customers are focused on the transition from internal combustion to electric vehicles, there is another side to the green-car narrative that is rarely discussed. Last year, hydrogen fuel-cell cars posted small but intriguing numbers, indicating that battery-electric power isn’t the only way to the future.
According to statistics gathered by JATO Dynamics, global sales of hydrogen fuel-cell automobiles exceeded 15,500 units in 2021. Despite being tiny in comparison to other fuel types, demand for fuel-cell vehicles surged by 84 percent between 2020 and 2021, when 8,400 new fuel-cell vehicles were sold. The growth is even more astonishing when compared to pre-pandemic levels, which is 103 percent.
How Long Will it Be in a Niche Segment?
A hydrogen fuel-cell automobile is incredibly unusual to see on the road. Since 2011, almost 41,700 hydrogen vehicles have been sold – nearly the same number of automobiles sold in only four days in China by Volkswagen Group. The cost of these cars is significant, and a lack of a robust hydrogen infrastructure leads to poor sales. Furthermore, there are currently just a few hydrogen fuel-cell car options.
Only two models accounted for 98 percent of the sales volume for hydrogen cars last year: the Hyundai Nexo and the Toyota Mirai. The Honda Clarity, which has been phased out, and a small number of test vehicles from companies including Renault, Maxus, BMW, and Peugeot accounted for the remaining sales.
Despite this, future ambitions for hydrogen fuel-cell cars are at odds with present sales levels. Following the launch of the second-generation Toyota Mirai, several manufacturers, including BMW and Volkswagen, announced the development of hydrogen-powered vehicles as well as a new line of battery-electric vehicles.
BMW, for example, plans to build 100 hydrogen test units of the X5 this year. In 2028, Kia expects to launch a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle portfolio. The Volkswagen Group is delegating all fuel-cell research and development to Audi teams, which currently number in the hundreds. For their bigger commercial vehicles, Daimler and Volvo trucks are also relying on similar technology.
South Korea leads the way
South Korea is by far the greatest hydrogen fuel-cell automobile market until these in-development vehicles come to life, according to data. The numbers for 2021 show that this country is well ahead of the rest.
South Korea accounts for 55 percent of worldwide volume because to Hyundai’s strong position and the construction of hydrogen infrastructure. Last year, sales increased from almost 5,800 units in 2020 to slightly over 8,500 units. And it all boils down to a single car: the Hyundai Nexo. It’s the world’s best-selling hydrogen fuel-cell car, with 92 percent of all Nexo sales taking place in its native country of South Korea.
The Nexo debuted in 2018, but it isn’t the only hydrogen fuel-cell car worth mentioning. The second-generation Toyota Mirai went on sale in 2019, resulting in a 257 percent rise in sales in 2021. Surprisingly, the Mirai’s major market in 2021 was the United States, not South Korea. There were 2,629 automobiles sold in the United States, 2,438 in Japan, and 730 in Europe.
