How much does it cost to refill a hydrogen car?

Expect a full refill of a hydrogen fuel-cell car to cost roughly $150–$220 in California at current retail prices of about $30–$36 per kilogram; around €65–€95 in much of Europe at €12–€16/kg; roughly ¥6,000–¥9,000 in Japan at about ¥1,100–¥1,500/kg; and approximately ₩45,000–₩57,000 in South Korea at ₩8,000–₩9,000/kg. Hydrogen is sold by the kilogram, and most popular fuel-cell models carry about 5.6–6.3 kg, so your bill scales directly with local price and tank size.

How hydrogen is sold and how to estimate your cost

Hydrogen for light-duty fuel-cell vehicles (FCEVs) is dispensed at 700 bar and priced per kilogram. Your total bill equals the station’s price per kg times the kilograms your car takes. Efficiency varies by model, but as a rule of thumb, today’s FCEVs use about 0.9–1.1 kg per 100 km (or roughly 60–70 miles per kg).

• Toyota Mirai (most recent generation): tank ~5.6 kg; real-world efficiency roughly 60–72 miles/kg (≈0.86–1.1 kg/100 km).
• Hyundai Nexo: tank ~6.3 kg; real-world efficiency roughly 57–65 miles/kg (≈1.0–1.1 kg/100 km).
• Rule of thumb: cost per 100 miles ≈ price per kg × 1.4–1.7; cost per 100 km ≈ price per kg × 0.9–1.1.

To estimate your refill: multiply your station’s posted price per kg by your car’s tank capacity (or by how many kilograms you actually add) to get the total at the pump.

What it costs by region today

Retail hydrogen prices vary widely by market due to supply, station density, and subsidies. Figures below reflect typical late-2024 levels reported by operators and drivers; always check a live station app before you go, because prices and availability can change quickly.

• United States (California): about $30–$36/kg. Full tank cost:
  – Toyota Mirai (5.6 kg): ~$168–$202
  – Hyundai Nexo (6.3 kg): ~$189–$227
  Many stations have experienced intermittent supply constraints, which can influence pricing and availability.
• Europe (e.g., Germany, Netherlands, Scandinavia): about €12–€16/kg at 700 bar. Full tank cost:
  – Mirai: ~€67–€90
  – Nexo: ~€76–€101
  Pricing in Germany commonly sits in the €13–€15/kg band at public stations.
• Japan: roughly ¥1,100–¥1,500/kg. Full tank cost:
  – Mirai: ~¥6,200–¥8,400
  – Nexo: ~¥6,900–¥9,450
  Prices are often moderated by policy support and local supply contracts.
• South Korea: roughly ₩8,000–₩9,000/kg. Full tank cost:
  – Mirai: ~₩44,800–₩50,400
  – Nexo: ~₩50,400–₩56,700
  Korea’s network and pricing benefit from national and municipal subsidies.

These ranges illustrate the current spread: California remains the most expensive large market for retail hydrogen, while parts of Europe and Northeast Asia are considerably cheaper per kilogram.

Cost per mile compared with gasoline and EV charging

Because FCEVs consume about 1.4–1.7 kg per 100 miles (0.9–1.1 kg/100 km), you can compare per-mile costs with gasoline and battery-electric charging by multiplying the local per-kg price by that usage.

• At California prices ($30–$36/kg), hydrogen typically costs about $0.42–$0.61 per mile ($42–$61 per 100 miles), depending on model and driving.
• At common European prices (€13/kg), hydrogen works out to roughly €11–€14 per 100 km—often in the same ballpark as fueling an efficient gasoline car on European pump prices.
• Battery-electric vehicles charged at home in many regions (~$0.12–$0.25/kWh) often land near $0.03–$0.06 per mile; highway fast charging (~$0.30–$0.50/kWh) is typically ~$0.08–$0.15 per mile, generally cheaper than hydrogen or gasoline.

In short, per-mile hydrogen costs can range from comparable to gasoline (Europe, Asia) to significantly higher (California), while home-charged EVs remain the current benchmark for lowest energy cost per mile.

Why prices vary and what could change

Hydrogen’s pump price reflects more than just production. Compression, storage, and delivery are energy-intensive, and today’s light-duty station networks are small, which spreads fixed costs over fewer customers.

• Production pathway: Steam methane reforming (from natural gas) is currently cheaper than renewable electrolysis; low-carbon producers may qualify for incentives that could reduce costs over time.
• Distribution and compression: Delivering hydrogen (by truck or pipeline) and compressing to 700 bar add sizable operating costs.
• Station utilization: Sparse networks mean lower throughput, so station operators recover capital and maintenance costs over fewer kilograms sold.
• Market structure and reliability: Limited competition, supply outages, or maintenance can push prices higher or cause temporary closures.
• Policy support: Subsidies, tax credits, and public funding for hubs and stations (e.g., in the U.S., EU, Japan, South Korea) can reduce retail prices if savings are passed through.

As larger hydrogen hubs come online and throughput increases, operators can spread fixed costs over more volume, which should help moderate prices—especially where policy incentives support low-carbon production.

Practical tips to manage refueling cost

Drivers can’t control the posted price per kilogram, but they can reduce hassle and avoid surprises with a few practical steps.

• Check live station apps before you go to confirm price, pressure (700 bar), and availability; outages can be frequent in some markets.
• Refuel when your tank is low but not empty; partial fills are fine and help you catch lower prices or avoid peak queues.
• Ask your dealer about fuel credits; some FCEV leases have included prepaid hydrogen for an initial period.
• Plan long trips around reliable stations and have a backup option; network density varies widely by region.
• Monitor local policy updates and incentives that could affect pump prices as new supply comes online.

With a little planning, you can limit detours, reduce wait times, and better predict your total cost per month.

Outlook for the next few years

Policy support for low-carbon hydrogen production in major markets (for example, U.S. tax credits for qualifying producers and EU funding for hydrogen hubs) is expected to reduce upstream costs. Whether and how quickly those savings translate to retail pump prices depends on station buildout, supply reliability, and competition. In the near term, regional disparities will likely persist: California prices remain elevated amid network constraints, while several European and Asian markets offer substantially lower per‑kg pricing.

Summary

Hydrogen refueling costs hinge on local price per kilogram and your car’s tank size. Today that means roughly $150–$220 per fill in California, €65–€95 in much of Europe, ¥6,000–¥9,000 in Japan, and ₩45,000–₩57,000 in South Korea. Per-mile costs range from comparable to gasoline (Europe/Asia) to notably higher (California), with battery-electric charging still the lowest-cost option in most regions.

Is hydrogen fuel cheaper than gasoline?

No, hydrogen fuel is not cheaper than gasoline; hydrogen fuel cell vehicles cost three to four-and-a-half times more per mile to fuel than gasoline vehicles, primarily due to high production and distribution costs despite the fuel cells’ high efficiency. While hydrogen has a higher energy content and can be very efficient in a fuel cell, this advantage is currently outweighed by its significantly higher retail price per mile. 
Why Hydrogen is More Expensive

• Production: Opens in new tabMost hydrogen is currently extracted from natural gas, a process that is expensive and has environmental impacts. 
• Distribution: Opens in new tabHydrogen is a low-density fuel, requiring complex and costly high-pressure or cryogenic systems for storage and transportation, adding significantly to its final retail cost. 
• Infrastructure: Opens in new tabThe infrastructure for hydrogen production, compression, and distribution is still nascent, failing to benefit from the economies of scale that gasoline enjoys. 

Why Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles Are Efficient

• Fuel cells are approximately 2.5 times more efficient than gasoline engines, converting a larger portion of the fuel’s energy into useful work. 
• A hydrogen fuel cell vehicle uses this electricity to power an electric motor, similar to a battery-electric vehicle, making it a very efficient drivetrain. 

The Bottom Line
Despite the efficiency of the fuel cells, the overall high cost of hydrogen at the pump means fueling a hydrogen vehicle is currently more expensive than filling up a conventional gasoline car. Significant reductions in hydrogen production and distribution costs are needed for it to become cost-competitive with gasoline on a per-mile basis.

What is the biggest problem with hydrogen cars?

The main problems with hydrogen cars are their high cost due to inefficient and costly production (often from fossil fuels) and the lack of extensive, profitable refueling infrastructure, coupled with the safety concerns of storing highly flammable, colorless, and odorless gas under high pressure. These factors make hydrogen cars significantly more expensive to fuel and less convenient than electric vehicles, which are more efficient and already have established charging infrastructure, even if limited. 
Cost & Efficiency

• Expensive to produce: Most hydrogen is currently produced from natural gas, a process that is not only expensive but also creates CO2, making it not truly “green”. 
• Energy intensive: Producing “green” hydrogen through electrolysis of water is very expensive and requires significant amounts of electricity, making it less efficient than using electricity directly in a battery-electric vehicle. 
• High fuel cost: Due to these production challenges, hydrogen is a very expensive fuel for vehicles compared to electricity for EVs. 

Infrastructure 

• Lack of fueling stations: There is a severe shortage of hydrogen fueling stations, with the limited number concentrated in California, making it difficult and inconvenient for owners to travel.
• Unprofitable stations: The high cost of building and maintaining hydrogen refueling stations makes them unprofitable, further hindering expansion.

Storage & Safety 

• Difficult to store: Hydrogen is a colorless, odorless, and highly flammable gas that must be stored under high pressure (or at extremely low temperatures) in reinforced tanks, which are bulky and heavy.
• Safety concerns: Its high flammability and tiny molecule size, which can easily escape through tiny cracks, present significant safety challenges for transportation and storage.

Comparison to Electric Vehicles

• Efficiency difference: Opens in new tabThe “round trip” energy efficiency of converting electricity to hydrogen and then back to electricity in a car is much lower (around 40%) than the efficiency of charging and using a battery (around 85%). 
• Market dominance: Opens in new tabBecause of these issues, electric vehicles have already captured the passenger car market, and hydrogen is more likely to find a niche in heavier-duty or specialized applications where its energy density is more beneficial. 

How much will it cost to refill a hydrogen car?

Car in the United States by $40,000. Plus they’ll give you $15,000 fuel card so it’s $55,000 discount off the normal price which is incredible. There’s a reason for that.

Where do I fill up my hydrogen car?

The list of hydrogen refuelling stations in the UK @ April 2021

• HyFive 2, Rainham, Essex (RM13 8EU)
• Sainsbury’s, Hendon, London (NW9 6JX)
• Hatton Cross, London (TW6 2GE)
• HyFive 1, Teddington, Surrey (TW11 0LY)
• HyFive 3, M25 Cobham Services, Surrey (KT11 3JS)
• M40 Beaconsfield Services, Buckinghamshire (HP9 2SE)