In the third quarter of 2023, 966 new hydrogen fuel cell cars were sold, marking a staggering 531% increase compared to the previous year. Although the base for comparison was relatively low with only 153 units sold in the previous year, this growth is still significant.
The dominance of the Toyota Mirai in the FCV segment continues, with 882 units sold during the quarter, representing a remarkable 1,016% increase year-over-year. On the other hand, the Hyundai Nexo, which was once a competitor in the market, reported only 68 units sold in Q3. Other models, like the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell, have been discontinued in previous years. Should Hyundai decide to shift its focus entirely to all-electric cars and abandon the Nexo, Toyota will remain unchallenged.
Despite the impressive growth in hydrogen fuel cell car sales, all-electric car registrations in California still outnumber them by a factor of 100, with around 100,000 units sold per quarter. The disparity between these two technologies highlights the prevailing popularity of battery electric vehicles.
From January to September 2023, over 2,700 new FCVs were sold, indicating a 39% increase compared to the same period the previous year. If this trend continues, 2023 may surpass the sales figures of 2022, potentially becoming the best year for hydrogen fuel cell cars to date.
As of the end of the third quarter, the cumulative sales of FCVs exceeded 17,700 vehicles, a 25% increase compared to the previous year. This number includes nearly 14,000 Toyota Mirai cars. However, considering the more than 10 years of sales and the various incentives for hydrogen vehicles, reaching 20,000 total sales by 2025 is not an extraordinary achievement.
In terms of refueling infrastructure, there are currently 55 open retail hydrogen stations in California. Although this is a slight increase from the previous reports, the number of sites under construction, in permitting or proposed, decreased slightly. It is worth noting that there are approximately 322 cars per single station, although this number is lower due to early cars being taken out of service.
Overall, the rebound in hydrogen fuel cell car sales in the United States signifies a potential record-breaking year. However, the dominance of electric vehicles and the relatively slow progress in expanding refueling infrastructure suggest that hydrogen fuel cell cars still have a long way to go in terms of mainstream adoption.
Sources:
– Hydrogen Fuel Cell Partnership’s data, provided by Baum and Associates