While more and more consumers are moving from internal combustion engines to electric cars, there is another side of the story that remains unknown to the general public.
These are hydrogen cars, which reported modest but quite interesting figures last year.
Data compiled by JATO Dynamics shows that global sales of hydrogen-powered cars total 15,500 units worldwide in 2021. This result is very small compared to registrations of vehicles with other fuel types, but demand has increased significantly – by as much as 84% compared to 2020, when total sales were 8,400. Even more impressive is the growth from pre-pandemic levels – +103%.
The fact is that it is extremely rare to see a hydrogen car on the streets. Since 2011, some 41,700 units have been sold in global markets, matching the amount of cars sold by the VW Group in China in just 4 days. The reasons are the high price of hydrogen models and the lack of infrastructure, and also the small choice in the market.
In fact, 98% of the volume achieved by hydrogen cars last year was accounted for by two models, the Hyundai Nexo (pictured) and the Toyota Mirai. The rest came from the Honda Clarity, and the very few test cars from the Renault, Maxus, BMW and Peugeot brands.
However, the manufacturers’ plans are radically opposed to current sales. The second-generation Toyota Mirai is already on the market, and companies such as BMW and VW Group are developing several hydrogen vehicles along with a number of new electric cars.
BMW, for example, plans to produce 100 test units of the hydrogen-powered X5 crossover (pictured) this year. Korea’s Kia has announced it will market a whole range of such vehicles in 2028. Audi, which is part of the VW Group, has set up an entire hydrogen-electric vehicle development division that employs more than 100 people. Daimler and Volvo Trucks also rely on this technology for their trucks.
Current realities show that South Korea is the largest market for hydrogen-powered vehicles. Thanks to expanding infrastructure, this country accounts for 55% of sales – about 8,500 in 2021 (5,800 in 2020) – all of which are of the world’s most popular hydrogen model, the Hyundai Nexo.
The Nexo sold a total of 9209 units last year, and it recorded a 257% increase on 2020. Meanwhile, the Toyota Mirai (pictured)’s main market is the US (2,629 units), followed by Japan (2,438) and Europe (730).
