by Stellantis abandons hydrogen vehicles
Stellantis has terminated its hydrogen vehicle development program due to low demand and lack of infrastructure. Production of hydrogen vans in France and Poland has been canceled. The company does not expect hydrogen light commercial vehicles (LCVs) to become popular until the end of the decade.
The automotive giant cites the main reasons for this decision: the limited number of hydrogen refueling stations, high technology development costs, and the absence of government incentives for buyers. Despite this, Stellantis is preserving current jobs, and employees involved in research will be transferred to other projects.
“The hydrogen market remains a niche segment without prospects for economic sustainability in the medium term. We must make clear and responsible choices,” stated Jean-Philippe Imparato, Chief Operating Officer of Stellantis.
Unexpected turn
As recently as early 2024, Stellantis planned to launch eight models of hydrogen vans, including the Citroen e-Jumpy, Fiat E-Scudo, and Peugeot E-Expert. At that time, the company positioned this as a strategic step towards leadership in hydrogen technology. However, just a few months later, the situation has changed dramatically.
This is not the first time Stellantis has shown skepticism towards hydrogen. Back in 2021, the company’s former CEO Carlos Tavares expressed doubts about the prospects of this technology. However, other automakers such as Toyota, BMW, and Hyundai continue to invest in hydrogen solutions.
Although Stellantis has abandoned hydrogen vehicles, the global automotive industry continues to experiment with alternative fuels. Hydrogen remains one of the possible options, especially for heavy transport where batteries may not be sufficiently effective. However, as the Stellantis example shows, the large-scale implementation of hydrogen technologies requires not only innovations but also support from infrastructure and regulators.
