Hydrogen cars could soon disappear from roads after drivers buy just five vehicles in Australia
Sales of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in Australia are tiny compared to other fuel types
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The popularity of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles could be dwindling after new data found that only five cars were sold in Australia over the last three months.
Quarterly vehicle sales data from the Australian Automobile Association found that just five hydrogen fuel cell vehicles were sold in the second quarter of 2024.
While this is three more than in the first quarter of the year, hydrogen sales pale in comparison to sales of petrol, diesel, electric and hybrids.
This is despite hydrogen fuel cell vehicles being touted as a cleaner alternative for transport by former Prime Minister Scott Morrison's Government in 2021.
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More than 500 hydrogen vehicles were seen over the Paris Olympics this summer
TOYOTAOne hydrogen vehicle owner, Alan Finkel, said his Toyota Mirai was a "smooth ride", although he is required to embark on an hour-long round trip to Melbourne's only public hydrogen station at the Toyota factory in Altona, the Guardian reported.
A similar trend can be seen in the UK where hydrogen fuel cell vehicle sales are few and far between because of a lack of refuelling stations around the country.
According to the December 2023 Hydrogen Strategy Delivery Update, there are eight publicly accessible hydrogen refuelling stations across the UK, with four more planned.
The document, from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, found that these stations serve around 265 vehicles including cars, buses, HGVs and vans.
For the majority of motorists in the UK, there are just two options available for them when wanting to buy a hydrogen fuel cell passenger car - the Hyundai NEXO and the Toyota Mirai.
The NEXO has a driving range of around 414 miles (WLTP) and a refuelling time of just a few minutes. Drivers who want to get their hands on the NEXO are expected to pay £65,995.
The Toyota Mirai is more popular across the globe, having just been the official car of the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris.
It undercuts the price of the NEXO by £1,300 has a fuel economy rate of between 336 and 348 miles per gallon and only expels water as a byproduct rather than harmful emissions.
There is just one hydrogen vehicle available on the online vehicle marketplace Auto Trader, notably a Hyundai NEXO, which can be leased for £1.055 a month.
Aberdeen has established itself as a hub for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and the associated technology, highlighted by the H2 Aberdeen initiative.
The Scottish city has two hydrogen refuelling stations to accommodate the fuel cell vehicles which are more commonly seen in Aberdeen.
Aberdeen City Council has introduced both light (cars and vans) and heavy fuel cell vehicles (road sweepers, buses and waste trucks) to its fleets.
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The H2 Aberdeen initiative has already served many vehicles
ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL
Aberdeen also took delivery of the world's first hydrogen double-decker buses between 2020 and 2022 when 15 vehicles were introduced to roads.
According to the council website, the H2 Aberdeen initiative has already seen 85 hydrogen vehicles in its lifetime and expects to see more in the coming years.