Sales of hydrogen cars in the US are sputtering. Data from the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Partnership shows a dramatic 70% plunge in sales during the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year.
This marks the worst Q1 performance for hydrogen cars since 2016 and comes on the heels of another slow quarter at the end of 2023. It’s important to note that these sales are almost entirely concentrated in California, the only state where hydrogen cars are readily available to consumers.
This slump comes on the heels of another slow quarter and is even more concerning considering there are only two hydrogen car models available: the Toyota Mirai, which saw a 74% year-over-year decline, and the Hyundai Nexo (down 22% year-over-year). While Honda is introducing a new hydrogen plug-in CR-V, its limited supply won’t be enough to revive the struggling segment.
Adding to the challenges are the high cost of hydrogen fuel and the lack of refueling stations. This situation took a turn for the worse recently, with Shell closing all its hydrogen stations in California.
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car Sales In The U.S. – Q1 2024
Here’s a table summarizing the hydrogen car sales in Q1’2024:
| Car Model | Sales in Q1’2024 | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 223 | -70% |
| Toyota Mirai | 172 | -74% |
| Hyundai Nexo | 51 | -22% |
As can be seen from the table, total hydrogen car sales in Q1’2024 plunged by 70% year-over-year. Toyota Mirai, the leading hydrogen car model, also saw a significant decline in sales (down 74% YoY), while Hyundai Nexo sales dropped by 22% YoY.
Here’s the summarized hydrogen car sales for 2023:
| Car Model | Sales in 2023 (YOY Change) |
|---|---|
| Total | 2,978 (up 10%) |
| Toyota Mirai | 2,737 (up 31%) |
| Hyundai Nexo | 241 (down 41%) |
This table clarifies that while overall hydrogen car sales increased slightly in 2023 (up 10% YoY), there were significant discrepancies between manufacturers. Toyota Mirai sales grew substantially (up 31% YoY), whereas Hyundai Nexo sales took a sharp plunge (down 41% YoY).
Considering these challenges, analysts predict a slow crawl for hydrogen car sales. They estimate it will take until late 2025 to reach a milestone of just 25,000 hydrogen fuel cell cars sold in the US.
This suggests that hydrogen cars might not have ever been a serious contender in the zero-emission race, and EVs have firmly established themselves as the dominant clean transportation technology.