Source: Lack of Fuel Limits Hyundai Hydrogen Car Sales | TheDetroitBureau.com A lack of a hydrogen fueling network is taking its toll on Hyundai’s fuel cell-powered Tucson model, according to the maker’s top U.S. executive. That has forced the maker to turn away potential buyers who simply don’t live close enough to the handful of hydrogen pumps currently open to the public in Southern California. But Dave Zuchowski, CEO of Hyundai Motor America said the situation should improve over the next few years as a state-funded effort opens more hydrogen fueling stations. . . . <SIGH> Bob Wilson
Gotta start somewhere but it is a shame they are pulling back. Unfortunately, not so different than the plug-in long distance charging problem . . .
Quite a bit different because an EV can be charged at any 110 VAC outlet or RV camper facility where 35A/50A service is often available. Our country has an extensive electrical grid with substations that easily handle even rapid-charge for EVs. Businesses along the Interstates also see it as a future "come on it ... here!" In contrast, hydrogen is a wicked problem and I don't see any rapid fix. Now that the cars are available, we'll enjoy seeing is Toyota decides every dealer gets a hydrogen service station too. Bob Wilson
Other than the differences Bob already mentioned, another major difference is that while Hydrogen makers are largely waiting for taxpayers to provide the fueling stations, some electric car companies are building the infrastructure themselves. Although I pay for oil to be searched for, drilled, and cleaned up after, at least I don't pay to build gas service stations. I'm frankly hoping Minnesota taxpayers never have to foot the bill for hydrogen stations.
Each Tucson fuel cell costs them $150,000, and they are leasing them for $499/mo, I don't think they want to lease it to someone that has to drive an hour to fill up, then have them all pissed off. Also from the OP link Hyundai had to pay for those damaged from bad fuel. Hundai is saying , yes carb we want to build fcv, all you need to do is spend a lot of tax payer money for each one to build the fueling infrastructure. And then in CARB can say, we need 500 stations not 100 stations, really they will build them. Carb's chairwoman told Stephen chu there would be 50,000 fcv in california now if only the doe increased funding a little bit;-)
Its orders of magnitude different problem. Hyundai says they are having trouble leasing 100 vehicles as a loss in a year. They need the government to spend tens of thousands per perspective vehicle to them to sell even 1000 vehicles. No stations in the US even sell hydrogen yet. On the other hand tesla has sold 6400 vehicles in the US in the first 1/3 of the year. It had a 27% margin on the cars, and are investing a little money from each sale to build a world wide charging network, as well as using networks other companies and governments. Most plug-ins charge at home or work, so the network only needs to fuel around 10% of cars.
They(hydrogen proponents) are worried about negative reviews. Yes, a person that lives outside the minimum distance from a station set by the lease, should be adult enough to decide if the extra distance is worth their hassle, but they might get whiny about it some time after they get the car.
Everyone who believes hydrogen is a good idea should be required to put their money where their mouths are and pony up for the infrastructure. The hydrogen craze would have lasted 10 minutes. It is unfortunate that the public and the governments don't have the backbone.
I got me a car, but there ain't no place to fill it. Oh Lord I got me a car, but there ain't no place to fill it. What ever made me do it? I got them FCV blues.
#1 ... it's not like you're paying for a relatively inexpensive Malibu. You'd be talking big bucks. #2 ... folks that could afford generally wouldn't waste their money on a scheme that affords so little (unaffordable) infrastructure. If you can only go 100 miles 150 miles from home & back - you might as well do it in an ICE or EV. #3 ... if you were an auto manufacturer, would YOU want to give a 10 year / 150,000 mile warranty on a car that needs tanks, fuel stack, plumbing replaced - in a time frame that'll likely be before that expiration? You'd have to be nuts. .
Remember CARB only requires those waranties on hybrid and phev batteries, not batteries in fcv, fuel cell tanks, or fuel cells. Hyundai is leasing only, so its waranted for the 3 years you lease it. on the mirai 2016 Toyota Mirai priced up for 2015 US fuel-cell debut - SlashGear For those 10% of those 3000 possible us mirai drivers - So say the stuff breaks and gets replaced every 3 years, you need to add 2 sets to 300 cars. Or 600 fc stacks and 1200 hydrogen tanks (2 per vehicle), that is not a big number. Say each set costs $50,000 for toyota, that is only 2 x 300 x $50,000 or $30M, which is probably less than it costs to subsidize 15 of the 100 hydrogen stations California is building. Waranty costs are very low compared to government spending. Hyundai leased a whopping 70 cars, 10 more than my expectations of 60. Maybe I need to up my estimates by 20% for everything Hyundai Leased Only 70 Tucson Fuel Cell SUVs In U.S. In First Year Of Availability For the price of a mirai you could buy both a camry hybrid and a leaf, but Toyota won't pay to fuel them like the mirai.
Ok - you take the leaf & the camry hybrid . . . . and I'll take just one Tesla (not quite an even expense, but I don't mind covering the difference ) model S - which DOES include fuel / quick charging infrastructure. But unlike hydrogen, which are just a few stations that you can count on one hand ... Tesla has infrastructure that's nation wide & expanding right now ... and not on the backs of taxpayers like hydrogen, but on the company that believes enough to do it their self. I should be doing their ad campaign .
