Fuel cell cars still 20 years out, says conference

Fuel cell cars keep getting pushed back farther and farther.

Don't expect fuel cell-powered vehicles to be commonly sold and produced by 2025, the National Hydrogen Association (NHA) Annual Hydrogen Conference in San Antonio, Texas heard this week.

While the tone of the hydrogen industry's longest-running (and biggest in the U.S.) conference was generally upbeat about fuel cells' uptake in other sectors, BMW vice president of clean technology Frank Ochmann predicted that fuel cell-powered cars wouldn't be commonly sold and produced until 2025.

Representatives of car manufacturers and energy companies had come together in San Antonio to discuss the commercial viability of fuel cell cars. Topics included the cost of the cars themselves, the cars' limited ranges, hydrogen storage and difficulties of establishing hydrogen refuelling stations.

BMW, Toyota, Honda, GM, DaimlerChrysler and Volkswagen all had hydrogen-powered vehicles on display at the conference, but all appeared to face similar technological challenges, including costs that range up to a million dollars apiece and limited range on a hydrogen fill-up.

A hydrogen car can travel 45 to 50 miles on a gallon, but a normal-sized fuel tank will only provide a range of 125 to 150 miles, experts said.

In terms of fueling stations, it was suggested that gasoline station owners might need government assistance to put in a $750k-$1m hydrogen pump that might only get used a few times a day—at the expense of a profit-rich traditional gasoline pump.

Not all carmakers have been so dour. Earlier this week, Mazda predicted it could be ready to commence mass production of its fuel cell-powered RX-8 Hydrogen RE within five to ten years.

And high profile Canadian automotive fuel cell pioneer Ballard Power Systems has told investors it is forecasting wider fuel cell uptake around 2015.

Yet there are those that wonder whether the fuel cell will ever emerge as an automotive technology in significant volumes, given rapid advances in batteries and electric vehicle infrastructure (see the Cleantech Group's Hydrogen cars non-starters.)

One fuel cell sub-sector showing signs of near-term promise, it seemed at the conference, included micro fuel cells, where most of the innovation is still being done at the university level and within select private companies such as Neah Power (see the Cleantech Group's Real laptop fuel cell power breakthrough?)

Progress and enthusiasm were especially for multi-megawatt fuel cell systems for large scale electricity generation, with evidence of increased traction in regions such as Japan, California, Korea, parts of Northern Europe, and the Northeastern United States. Vendors in the sector include FuelCell Energy, HydroGen, Hydrogenics and others.

Cleantech industry analysts Clean Edge are optimistic about the future of fuel cells. While the industry is much smaller than solar, wind or other alternative energy industries, they believe it is poised for the fastest growth of all (see the Cleantech Group's Underdog fuel cells to outperform, says Clean Edge.)