Why hydrogen’s outlook remains grim for passenger vehicles

Hydrogen vehicles are no solution for the future, even as their advocates persist, according to an automotive analyst

Hydrogen is unlikely to succeed due to cost, inefficiency and safety issues, observed James Carter from Vision Mobility.

He understands people love it. However, “It is a disaster,” he told attendees of the Automotive Aftermarket Retailers of Ontario 2025 Symposium.

A primary issue: It’s expensive. Carter explained that in the United States, consumers could expect to pay between US$35-$55 dollars for a kilogram of hydrogen. With a kilogram equalling roughly a gallon, the cost is prohibitive.

And they’re inefficient.

“They have one per efficiency of a battery electric vehicle. They are wildly complex, and that includes the refueling stations, which are very expensive,” he added.

The numbers, Carter said, simply do not add up and it’s showing by virtually non-existent sales in Canada and the U.S.

Safety was also a major focal point for Carter. Hydrogen has a wider ignition range than gasoline. He pointed to South Korean where more than a third of vehicles had to be pulled off the road due to a leak.

“And because hydrogen is such a small element, it leaks through absolutely anything,” he said. “There is no hydrogen future. You do not want this stuff in your shop.”

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