Toyota and Hyundai, the only carmakers to produce hydrogen-powered cars for the UK market, sold just 12 hydrogen-powered cars in the country in 2021. Earlier this year, Shell closed all its hydrogen filling stations in the UK. Meanwhile, electric vehicles, while not offering the range or rapid refuelling of a hydrogen car, have gained in popularity. In 2010, 138 electric vehicles were sold in the UK. This figure has risen to around 190,000 annual sales by 2021.
A mixed automotive economy of hydrogen-powered and electric vehicles could accelerate the transition to zero emissions. But a viable hydrogen automotive system will require large-scale investment. It will require the construction of new, complex technological systems and a fundamental shift in political thinking and public discourse.
