Passenger cars make up the greatest share of the hydrogen vehicle market, according to new research by Interact Analysis.

It found that of the 18,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles sold in 2021, 90% were passenger cars.

A report published by the firm concluded that the hydrogen transportation market is still very much in its infancy due to the lack of government incentives, as well as the shortage of refueling infrastructure and high price of hydrogen.

Some car makers are forging ahead with hydrogen powertrain development. Hyundai and Toyota already have models on the road, while BMW is ramping up its running a trial fleet of converted X5s.

Marco Wang, research analyst at Interact Analysis, said: “Although the hydrogen vehicle market is very much in its infancy some significant developments are being made. By 2030 the global market will look very different and much more consolidated.

“The TCO of hydrogen vehicles currently makes them unfavorable compared with traditional diesel alternatives. But the cost competitiveness of fuel cell powertrains will improve substantially when the demand scales up. Hydrogen availability is also an issue. But the commitment and ongoing actions of government authorities dedicated to hydrogen infrastructure provides a positive look on the future. More importantly, we really need to decarbonize vehicles where a full battery has proven unfeasible and fuel cell technology is the exclusive zero emission solution for them.”

The report covers all transportation ranging from passenger cars, trucks, trains and forklifts to the very largest off-highway machinery. It found that fuel cells are the most mature powertrain technology for hydrogen transportation, with most of the development currently made in the on-road and forklift segments. Development for larger machinery in the off-road sector is mainly in the research and development phase as companies begin to explore the benefits of hydrogen technology.

South Korea leads the way for the hydrogen passenger car market, with America and Japan following behind. Up to 2025, the market looks set to be dominated by passenger car sales, but from 2028 the hydrogen commercial vehicle market, in particular hydrogen trucks, is expected to outstrip the passenger car market.