“We have a huge, beautiful red paperweight in our driveway,” Snell said.
Mr. Snell has faced challenges such as rising hydrogen fuel prices and the occupation of hydrogen refueling stations due to a combination of technological limitations, rising station operating costs, policy changes, and unfortunate events such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He's just one of California's many hydrogen fuel cell vehicle owners. off-line.
By 2022, just under 12,000 fuel cell electric vehicles powered by hydrogen instead of gas or pure electricity will be on the road in California, where the majority of the country's FCEV drivers live. . U.S. drivers bought about 3,000 cars last year, according to industry groups.
FCEV drivers interviewed by WIRED say they love their cars, which have a smooth, comfortable ride, high-tech features, and are priced lower than competing vehicles, both new and used. Reporting. All three automakers selling vehicles in California (Toyota, Hyundai, Honda) offer his $15,000 fuel card as an added bonus with every purchase. Some drivers told WIRED that FCEVs don't fit into their lives because they live near a regular gas station and can rely on another car when prices get too high, or because they don't drive much. He said he is blending in well. But some people say they can't keep their cars running.
“We are suffering from premature adoption,” says Robin Gaster, a public policy researcher and senior fellow at the Information Technology Innovation Foundation, which recently published a report on clean hydrogen policy. He argues that it was too early for policymakers and car companies to introduce unproven hydrogen fuel technology.
Scott Werntz and his wife, Lori, of Sacramento purchased a Toyota Mirai in the fall of 2022. Thanks to the discount and the included fuel card, this car felt like a good deal. But last year, the couple started having to wait in line, sometimes more than an hour, to refuel their car. Once, while waiting to refuel, the local fuel cell station broke down and the vehicle had to be towed away. He now relies on another car and a free rental Toyota to get around.
Toyota spokesman Josh Burns said the company is aware of refueling issues in the state. “We remain committed to working with stakeholders to support California's hydrogen fueling infrastructure now and in the future,” he said in his email. He said the company is working with Mirai owners to provide assistance on a case-by-case basis.
A Hyundai spokesperson told WIRED that Bill Elrich, executive director of the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Partnership, said Shell Hydrogen's shutdown “will cause temporary difficulties,” but that new , funding and infrastructure have made the group more optimistic, he wrote. Honda spokesman Karl Pulley said the company has been investing in California's hydrogen fuel infrastructure, highlighting its new fuel cell vehicle, the CRV e:FCEV, scheduled to debut this year.
Shell Hydrogen spokeswoman Anna Arata said in a statement that the company aims to “deliver its services with more discipline” and will invest $1 billion in hydrogen and carbon capture and storage technologies both this year and next. He said he intended to invest US dollars.
Fuel cell electric vehicles are an attractive option for car buyers looking to reduce their carbon footprint in many ways. A greener alternative to internal combustion engine cars is powered by compressed hydrogen, which is converted to electricity by an on-board fuel cell.
Hydrogen excels where battery electric vehicle technology has stalled. This fuel is plentiful, light, emission-free and theoretically cheap, making it attractive to many despairing over the difficult state of electric vehicle battery supply chains. Filling a car with hydrogen is quick and more similar to refilling gas than waiting 15 minutes to several hours at an EV charging station. FCEVs also have a long range, allowing tanks to travel up to 400 miles.
