Since 1999, the members of the California Fuel Cell Partnership have made steady progress towards a commercial market. By the end of 2008, 250 fuel cell vehicles had been placed on California’s roads refueling at 26 active stations in the state. California is the first state to recognize hydrogen as a motor vehicle fuel and begin the regulatory process that enables retail fuel sales.

Moving toward a commercial market for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles

By 2017, automakers expect to place tens of thousands of fuel cell vehicles in the hands of California consumers. Today, about 300 fuel cell vehicles have been placed on California’s roads and fill at only 22 hydrogen stations in the state. As the number of FCVs in California increases over the next 5-10 years, it’s crucial that hydrogen be easily available to the drivers. A good experience for the first FCV drivers will build early success.

In February, 2009, CaFCP’s members published an “action plan” that details a strategy for deploying hydrogen fueling stations and fuel cell vehicles in California.  The California Fuel Cell Partnership’s action plan has three focus areas:

• Developing early “hydrogen communities” for passenger vehicles with clusters of retail hydrogen stations in four Southern California communities: Santa Monica, Irvine, Torrance and Newport Beach, with additional stations to support the next identified communities and a network of connector stations.
• Expanding the transit program in the San Francisco Bay Area with new mixed-use stations that provide fuel for passenger vehicles and transit buses, as well as dedicated retail hydrogen stations for passenger vehicles.
• Developing codes, standards and regulations with a state-of-the-art hydrogen station in the Sacramento area that will enable regulatory agencies to validate new test procedures as well as provide fuel for passenger vehicles in the Sacramento area