Fuel Cell Vehicles Set New Range Records as Green Hydrogen Applications Face Practical Tests
Bosch’s fuel cell power modules, supplied to Spanish bus manufacturer Irizar, recently completed testing in Madrid. The bus can travel over 1,000 kilometers on a single hydrogen refueling, which takes only 10 to 15 minutes. This achievement highlights the potential of fuel cell vehicles in long-distance transportation but also underscores the real-world challenges facing the green hydrogen supply chain. Currently, only 9% of global plastic waste is recycled, and biomass-to-hydrogen conversion technology remains in early development, struggling to meet large-scale application demands.
German commercial vehicle manufacturer MAN has launched road tests for electric trucks combining fuel cell and battery technologies, targeting a range of 450 to 500 kilometers. MAN stated that battery-electric vehicles will dominate the road freight market, but fuel cell technology will play a complementary role in long-haul routes or regions with insufficient charging infrastructure. In Germany, Ballard’s fuel cell technology powers 410 of the country’s approximately 500 fuel cell buses, demonstrating the gradual expansion of fuel cell vehicles in public transportation.
Diversifying Green Hydrogen Production: Seaweed and Plastic Waste Emerge as New Focus Areas
While traditional water electrolysis for hydrogen production has gained widespread attention, recent research shows that biomass and waste-to-hydrogen technologies are advancing rapidly. A team from Columbia University and Ewha Womans University found that seaweed converted into hydrogen via alkaline thermal treatment (ATT) can surpass the efficiency of traditional gasification and water-gas shift reactions. The study noted that seaweed’s carbon sequestration rate is seven times higher than that of terrestrial biomass and can be harvested six times a year without fertilizers, making it suitable for large-scale cultivation in non-arable coastal areas. However, ATT technology remains in the laboratory stage, and its economic viability has yet to be proven.
Plastic waste-to-hydrogen technology has also attracted attention. On July 6, 2026, a research team from Korea and the University of California published a study showing that ATT technology can efficiently convert plastic waste into high-purity hydrogen while addressing the low global plastic recycling rate. Currently, only 9% of plastic waste is recycled, 79% ends up in landfills, and 12% is incinerated. Traditional disposal methods not only fail to resolve the plastic crisis but also generate secondary pollution, such as microplastics and dioxins. The research team suggested that ATT technology could become an alternative to plastic recycling, though it remains primarily focused on waste management rather than a mainstream renewable resource solution.
A Yale University research team reported in October 2025 that biohydrogen (Bio-H2) could complement water electrolysis for hydrogen production, particularly in regions with scarce freshwater resources. The study covered various feedstocks, including agricultural waste, forestry residues, food waste, and municipal wastewater, though seaweed’s high salt content makes conversion more challenging. The Columbia University and Ewha Womans University study further confirmed that seaweed processed via ATT could achieve carbon neutrality or even negative emissions, provided carbonate byproducts are effectively sequestered.
Europe and U.S. Accelerate Hydrogen Infrastructure Development Amid Industry Imbalances
The U.S. state of California is actively expanding its hydrogen infrastructure. A hydrogen refueling station built by Bosch Rexroth for SamTrans in San Mateo County will serve up to 175 fuel cell buses, with a dispensing capacity of up to 1,200 kilograms of hydrogen per hour. The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) has signed a $27.5 million contract with Clean Energy Fuels Corp. to build a hydrogen refueling station at the Garden Grove bus depot, increasing its fleet from 10 to 50 fuel cell buses. Despite California’s rapid hydrogen infrastructure growth, individual fuel cell vehicle owners still face a shortage of refueling stations, highlighting industry imbalances.
Spain’s Ornuba Project demonstrates the potential of green hydrogen in industrial applications. The project produces green ammonia using local resources, reducing dependence on geopolitically unstable regions. Bosch’s bus trial in Madrid also focuses on long-distance routes, emphasizing the advantages of fuel cell vehicles in specific scenarios. However, industry consensus suggests that fuel cell vehicles are unlikely to challenge the dominance of battery-electric vehicles in the near term, serving instead as niche solutions. While technological progress is swift, refining the green hydrogen supply chain and controlling costs remain key challenges for the industry.
