The second quarter of 2023 introduced us an attention-grabbing shock within the hydrogen gasoline cell automobile phase (aka FCV or FCEV) in the USA (really in California, the place the series-produced fashions can be found).

That is as a result of the gross sales quantity not solely improved year-over-year however even reached the very best quarterly quantity ever.

In keeping with the Hydrogen Gasoline Cell Partnership‘s knowledge, throughout the second quarter of 2023, 1,076 new hydrogen gasoline cell vehicles had been bought within the US, which is 34 p.c greater than a yr in the past.

The Hydrogen Gasoline Cell Partnership’s FCVs gross sales knowledge comes from Baum and Associates. “Gross sales knowledge relies on automobile gross sales bought by a seller to a retail or fleet buyer”.

It is the third time in historical past that gross sales exceeded 1,000 items in 1 / 4 and the very best consequence ever (the earlier greatest was: 1,034 in Q1 2021 and 1,033 in Q1 2022). That is not a groundbreaking change, however an attention-grabbing end result.

Not solely that. The report consequence was achieved with mainly just one mannequin – the Toyota Mirai, which – in response to Toyota (a special knowledge supply) – famous 1,054 gross sales in Q2 (a brand new report and the primary four-digit consequence). For reference, Hyundai reviews solely 40 Nexo gross sales.

It is laborious to say whether or not we are going to see a continuation of the expansion in Q3. So far as we all know, there are solely two hydrogen gasoline cell fashions obtainable in California – the Toyota Mirai and Hyundai Nexo (the Honda Readability Gasoline Cell exited some time in the past), which alone considerably limits the gross sales potential.

Let’s additionally observe that throughout the second quarter, new all-electric automobile registrations in California alone amounted to 103,516, which is near 100 occasions extra (96 to be exact).

FCV gross sales in Q2 2023:

Gross sales in Q2 reported by the producers:

In the course of the first half of the yr, greater than 1,800 new FCVs had been bought, which is 2 p.c lower than a yr in the past – primarily, due to the weak first quarter.

FCV gross sales in Q1-Q2 2023:

Gross sales in Q1-Q2 reported by the producers:

• Toyota Mirai – 1,722 (up 27%)
• Hyundai Nexo – 105 (down 61%)

For reference, in 2022 FCEV gross sales exceeded 2,707 (down 19 p.c year-over-year).

The general cumulative gross sales of FCVs exceeded 16,700 as of the tip of the quarter (not counting automobiles faraway from use), which is eighteen p.c greater than a yr in the past. This quantity consists of over 13,000 Toyota Mirai.

As of Might 22, 2023, the variety of open retail hydrogen stations in California stood at 58 (5 greater than in December):

• Open – Retail: 58
• Open – Legacy Retail: 0
• Presently Unavailable: 6
• In Building: 7
• In Allowing: 23
• Proposed: 7
• On maintain: 5
• Complete (Gentle Responsibility): 106

See the total record of hydrogen infrastructure right here.

A fast calculation reveals that there are over 289 vehicles per single station (cumulative gross sales divided by the variety of open retail stations). Though, it is much less as a result of early vehicles which were faraway from service.