1. Hydrogen is far less efficient and far more expensive than batteries
“It’s very easy to create hydrogen from fossil natural gas… battery electric is now pretty much inevitable.” – pjc50
“Stations running out of fuel and stations going offline for hardware failures runs rampant… $30 /kg and a 5.6 kg (full) tank.” – kotaKat
2. The hydrogen refueling network is thin, unreliable and costly
“I’ve seen exactly one of these in person… I never did see a fueling station for it.” – helterskelter
“There are only 51 of them… 42 that are actually online and available for fueling.” – kotaKat
3. Battery‑electric vehicles (BEVs) dominate the market and are the clear winner for most use‑cases
“Battery electric is now pretty much inevitable.” – pjc50
“EVs are cheaper to own – the fuel savings are enormous.” – bdangubic
4. Hydrogen is best suited for heavy‑haul, aviation or niche applications, not passenger cars
“For flights, a combination of batteries for smaller, regional planes… For maritime… hybrids with methanol.” – danhor
“The Mirai neither flies nor floats.” – pjc50
5. Toyota’s hydrogen push is a strategic hedge, not a mainstream product
“Toyota sells bad EVs and was the last OEM to offer one.” – formerly_proven
“Approximately zero regular consumers purchased hydrogen cars. They were all fleet purchases.” – decimalenough
6. Green‑hydrogen claims are often overstated; the real environmental benefit is limited
“Hydrogen burning could have a place in an all‑renewable grid… but the real benefit is limited.” – pfdietz
“Carbon sequestration is another of those ‘if we did this, it might solve the problem…’” – pjc50
These six themes capture the dominant threads of the discussion: the technical and economic drawbacks of hydrogen, the rapid rise of battery EVs, the niche role hydrogen may play, Toyota’s cautious strategy, and the often inflated environmental narrative around green hydrogen.