Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) offer the promise of cleaner propulsion than a diesel or gasoline engine but without the compromise of long charging times associated with battery electric vehicles (EVs). Fitch Solutions expects the technology to develop into a zero-emission alternative alongside—not a replacement for—EVs, and that heavy commercial vehicles will lead the way. Fleets of trucks and buses that operate on set or known routes can manage with just a couple of hydrogen fuelling stations, which they can most likely fund themselves. But what about the light vehicle segment?
On this front, warns Fitch Senior Autos Analyst Joshua Cobb, infrastructure will prove a real obstacle to greater uptake, but government incentives and hydrogen hubs could provide significant tailwinds.
