Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles - A Global Analysis

More than 11 Automakers Will Roll Out Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles by 2021

This is a comprehensive status report on the market for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The report discusses major players and product rollouts, along with a detailed analysis of automaker plans and strategies. The report carries out an in-depth analysis of this emerging market, providing data on the sales of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles by automaker and by region.

By year-end 2017, a total of 6,364 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have been sold globally since 2013 when the vehicles first became available commercially. This is disclosed in the report, "Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles - A Global Analysis, March 2018."

Over 50 percent of these vehicles were sold in California making the state a model of success in the deployment of the technology. Of the remaining countries, the lion’s share went to Japan which is at the forefront of hydrogen station deployments.

Among automakers, Toyota has been the most successful, accounting for over 77 percent of the sales. Moreover, hydrogen fuel cell vehicle sales in 2017 were almost double the total sales in the previous years.

Hydrogen infrastructure is coming along steadily, albeit slowly, said the lead author of the report. In northeast U.S., hydrogen station buildout is gathering momentum, giving automakers a second market in the U.S.

According to the author, a respectable hydrogen fueling ecosystem will not be ready until 2020. The slow buildout of the hydrogen stations has given an opening to battery electric vehicles whose sales are rapidly gaining ground.

The author, who is bullish on the future of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, said battery electric vehicles will be short-term beneficiaries of the movement towards zero-emission vehicles. However, as the hydrogen infrastructure evolves, fuel cell vehicles will pick up traction.

By 2021, at least 11 automakers will have rolled out hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, including Toyota, Lexus, Hyundai, Kia, Honda, Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Other entrants in this space include Tata Motors, Pininfarina S.p.A. (owned by Mahindra & Mahindra), Riversimple and the RONN Motor Group.