Imagine clocking in every morning only to discover your vehicle won’t budge because the nearest fuel station is 90 kilometers away. That’s the harsh reality for Michel Cavigioli, a taxi driver in Massignieu-de-Rives, France, who runs two hydrogen-powered Hyundai Nexo SUVs. He and his wife swapped their original Tesla plan for hydrogen after a customer recommendation, lured by promises of quick fill-ups and long range. On paper, it sounded like a dream: 724 kilometers on a full tank and five to ten minutes per refill. In practice, though, a scarce network of refueling stations has left Michel sidelined and watching his taxi business grind to a halt.
Major Hurdles in Hydrogen Refueling Infrastructure
The hydrogen car market is still in its infancy, especially compared to electric vehicles (EVs). Only two manufacturers—Toyota and Hyundai—offer mass-market fuel-cell vehicles, and demand is barely scratching the surface. According to industry association Avere-France, France has just around fifty hydrogen stations nationwide. That’s peanuts when you compare it to the thousands of EV charging stations sprouting up across Europe. For hydrogen drivers, it means long detours, wasted hours, and sometimes an entire day lost just to refuel.
Michel’s predicament underscores the catch-22: insufficient stations discourage drivers from switching to hydrogen, while low adoption rates stall infrastructure investment. He’s lucky there’s a second station under construction in Annecy—56 kilometers from home—but it won’t be operational anytime soon. Until then, he’s stuck plotting 160-kilometer round trips to fill a tank that usually takes under ten minutes to top off. It’s an inconvenient truth that casts serious doubts on hydrogen’s ability to scale sustainably.
Mechanical Breakdowns and Budget Blues
If the distance alone weren’t bad enough, mechanical issues have compounded Michel’s woes. One of his Nexos, boasting 283,000 kilometers on the odometer, has been out of commission since January 2024 due to a suspected fault in its fuel-cell stack. The mechanic who first diagnosed the issue bolted from the dealership, and no Hyundai specialist has stepped in to verify or fix the problem since. Michel insists the pile-up isn’t the real culprit, but without a qualified expert to take a look, his hypothesis has gone untested.
Meanwhile, the monthly bills keep rolling in. Michel pays €1,078 every month for the broken Nexo’s lease and insurance, even though it’s been collecting dust for months. Fuel costs also sting: hydrogen sells for €18–20 per kilogram, though he benefits from a subsidy that brings his rate down to €12.50 per kilo. That’s still pricey when one kilogram only buys about 100 kilometers of range, and Michel’s daily 160-kilometer detour eats nearly two kilos each trip. He’s essentially hemorrhaging money just getting back on the road.
Lessons Learned and What’s Next
Despite the setbacks, Michel isn’t ready to abandon hydrogen altogether. He vows to give it another shot—this time with some safeguards in place. First on his checklist: securing a loaner vehicle with identical specs to avoid downtime when maintenance strikes. He also wants a guarantee that a refueling station will be within a 30-kilometer radius before taking the plunge again. His cautionary tale highlights the need for coordinated planning between manufacturers, station operators, and drivers if hydrogen is going to make any headway.
Hydrogen’s promise of rapid fill-ups and zero tailpipe emissions remains tantalizing, but the ecosystem around it needs urgent bolstering. More strategically placed stations, reliable service networks, and transparent maintenance protocols could tip the scales in its favor. Until then, drivers like Michel will be forging long, lonely roads just to keep their businesses moving—proving that an innovative fuel is only as effective as the infrastructure supporting it.
