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Hydrogen in taxis: Only a niche solution with potential for specialized applications.
The basic principle is technically elegant: Hydrogen is combined in the fuel cell with oxygen from the air, generating electricity for the electric motor – and as the only waste product, water vapor is produced. Worldwide there are so far only a few models such as the Toyota Mirai, Hyundai Nexo or the BMW iX5 Hydrogen, produced in small quantities. In Germany there are currently around 250 used vehicles with a fuel cell for sale.
A hydrogen taxi could be an alternative to the electric taxi…
For taxi and rental-car companies, hydrogen offers advantages in certain deployment profiles. Especially in fleets that travel a lot and do not have direct access to charging stations, the Mirai could already be interesting today. The rapid fueling in a few minutes makes long day trips easier. At the same time, the vehicle remains locally emission-free – an argument for urban operation.
…if there were just enough gas stations
The key limitation remains the infrastructure: From what used to be around 110 gas stations nationwide, today only about 70 are publicly accessible. For comparison: Germany has around 14,400 traditional gas stations. The EU expansion plan for alternative fuels (AFIR) is intended to expand the network by 2030, but today the supply remains patchy.
Additionally, hydrogen is expensive: One kilogram costs between 13 and 18 euros. The Mirai's consumption is about 1 kg per 100 kilometers, which places operating costs well above those of comparable electric vehicles. For taxi companies that must prioritize cost efficiency, this remains a decisive factor.
Even car expert Brazel is skeptical
Experts such as Professor Stefan Bratzel of the University of Applied Sciences for Economics see fuel-cell vehicles primarily as a niche solution.
“I do not expect that the fuel cell will establish itself in the foreseeable future as an alternative to BEVs. More efficient, cheaper and more widespread are currently battery-electric vehicles.”
For fleets with clear use profiles, limited access to charging points or a need for rapid refueling, hydrogen can already be sensible today—and this is especially true for taxi and rental-car companies operating in urban and regional traffic.
BMW and Toyota stay in the game, continuing to develop technology and infrastructure, but deliberately focus on targeted deployments in Japan, China, Korea and the USA before serving a broader market.
For the taxi industry, hydrogen can in selected fleets at times be a practical complement to battery-electric vehicles. The ranges of pure electric vehicles are increasing, as is the charging power. Whether it will be worthwhile to rely on hydrogen in the automotive sector in the long term is questionable.
Content automatically translated.
Taxi-Fahrzeuge (Pkw) , Taxi-Newsletter, Taxameter, Taxi-Fahrer , BZP – Deutscher Taxi- und Mietwagenverband , Straßenverkehrsordnung (StVO) , Krankenbeförderung , Weiterbildung , Taxi-Konzessionen , Verkehrspolitik , Mietwagenbranche , Taxi-Apps , Berufskraftfahrer-Qualifikations-Gesetz BKrFQG) , Taxizentralen , Personal, Gehälter, Arbeitsschutz , Wirtschaftsnachrichten , Werbung , Taxi-Folierung , Taxi-Umrüster , Straßenverkehr , Elektromobilität, Taxifuhrpark und -flottenmanagement , Taxi-Versicherungen , Hybrid, Diesel, Erdgas , Taxi-Magazin
