California's Hydrogen Highway is a Moot Point
Carlos Kirby
· 4 min read
Today, everyone is looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint. If you're in the market for a new car, you might even be considering a hybrid car or an
electric vehicle
. But there’s a third option that's all but forgotten outside of California, and that's hydrogen.
The Hydrogen Highway was Governor Schwarzenegger's vision for the future
Back in 2004, then-Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger had a bold plan. On Earth Day of that year, he signed an executive order that created a public and private partnership to build a “Hydrogen Highway.”
A network of hydrogen fueling stations would start in California and eventually stretch coast-to-coast. This would enable everyone in the country to make the switch to cleaner hydrogen-powered vehicles.
According to
Renewable Energy World
, Schwarzenegger predicted, "This starts a new era for clean California transportation." He was so sure that gasoline would be a thing of the past, that he even converted one of his Hummers to hydrogen power. The governor's push for hydrogen-powered vehicles was due, in part, to California's poor air quality at the time. In parts of the state, the air quality was so bad that it failed to meet certain state and federal standards. California was at risk of losing "billions of dollars in federal funds." Hydrogen provided a
zero-emissions
solution. Let Jerry find your price in only 45 seconds
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The Hydrogen Highway hit a dead end
MORE: By 2035, New Gas-Powered Cars Will Be Banned in This Country
Over 17 years later, Schwarzenegger's hopes for hydrogen still haven't been realized. What stood in the way of his vision? For one thing, there is a lack of infrastructure to support hydrogen vehicles.
According to
CalMatters
, there are just over 40 hydrogen fueling stations in the state. Most of these are concentrated in dense urban areas like San Francisco and Los Angeles. Anyone who plans to drive outside of these regions must make careful note of their mileage, or they could end up stranded. And when hydrogen car owners do stop at the pump, they're in for some serious sticker shock. Hydrogen is roughly the equivalent of $16 per gallon. While many hydrogen vehicles can go 350 miles or more on one tank, it still costs a hefty amount to fuel up.
A lack of infrastructure and high hydrogen prices may be what's stifling the growth of hydrogen cars. Of the 35 million registered vehicles in California, only a tiny fraction of those—about 8,000—are hydrogen-powered.
California plans to add more hydrogen fueling stations
MORE: Toyota Bets on Hydrogen Instead of Battery-Powered EVs
To get some real-life experience with California's Hydrogen Highway, Evan Halper, a reporter with the Los Angeles Times, got behind the wheel of a Toyota Mirai. Halper learned that one perk of driving a hydrogen vehicle is that you can cruise along in the HOV lane, even if you’re by yourself.
According to Halper, most of the hydrogen cars on the road are Mirais, which, brand new, cost about $50,000. However, that price comes down considerably once manufacturer discounts and state and federal incentives are applied.
It's not surprising that Halper felt the biggest drawback was a lack of fueling stations. But that pain point could be resolved in the coming years. There are plans to open over 100 new hydrogen fueling stations in California by 2027.
Outside of the Golden State, there remains virtually no interest in hydrogen-powered vehicles. Everyone else has their sights set on electric cars.
There's one thing that hydrogen, gas, and electric vehicles all have in common, and that's the need for affordable car insurance. If you want to compare prices from some of the biggest insurers, check out
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