BMW, Toyota, and Hyundai insist hydrogen cars still have a future, even as battery-electric vehicles become cheaper, faster-charging, and capable of traveling further. At a driving event in Halle, Belgium, journalists could put that claim to the test. Meanwhile, the Belgian hydrogen sector warned of falling behind its neighboring countries.

Driving BMW’s hydrogen-powered iX5 through the outskirts of Brussels, with the company’s hydrogen chief, Dr. Jürgen Guldner, in the passenger seat, feels remarkably ‘ordinary.’ The SUV accelerates smoothly and silently, just like any battery-electric car. The technology clearly works. But is there still a convincing reason to buy one?

Fellow journalists drove three Toyota Mirai models, Hyundai’s new Nexo – the only example currently in Belgium, owned by importer Astara – and a second BMW iX5 Hydrogen.

The event, organized by WaterstofNet and Virya Energy on Thursday, came just ahead of European Hydrogen Week, opening at Brussels Expo on October 26.

Under the theme “Scaling Hydrogen, Strengthening Resilience”, the five-day gathering expects more than 220 exhibitors and 200 speakers, with discussions ranging from hydrogen mobility and infrastructure to industrial competitiveness and EU regulation. The exhibition and several forums are open to the public free of charge, with registration required.

The industry’s message: falling hydrogen prices, expanding truck infrastructure, and the opportunity to store surplus renewable electricity could give fuel-cell vehicles a second chance.

Belgium risks losing momentum

Pieter Marinus, Director of Corporate Development at Colyruyt-daughter Virya Energy, warned that Belgium risks losing hydrogen investment and early demand to neighboring countries. The Netherlands and Germany already have mechanisms rewarding renewable hydrogen in transport, while Belgium has yet to fully implement the relevant RED III provisions.

Virya is investing nonetheless. Its 25 MW Hyoffwind electrolyzer in Zeebrugge is expected to begin commercial green hydrogen production in early 2027.

Belgium currently has eight publicly accessible hydrogen refueling stations: six operated by Virya’s DATS 24 network in Halle, Haasrode, Wilrijk, Erpe-Mere, Herve, and Ollignies; one operated by CMB.TECH in Antwerp’s port; and one by TEAL Mobility/Air Liquide near Brussels Airport.

Seven offer 700-bar refueling for passenger cars, while Ollignies currently serves heavy-duty vehicles at 350 bar. Further upgrades are planned, particularly for trucks.

But the network remains sparse and hydrogen increasingly requires cross-border infrastructure. Fluxys is developing Belgium’s hydrogen pipeline backbone, partly by repurposing existing natural gas infrastructure, though these conversions require technical adaptations.

Hydrogen cheaper than diesel?

Our refueling experience produced a surprise. At DATS 24 in Halle, we filled the experimental iX5 with approximately €14 worth of hydrogen. At the station’s €11.98/kg price, that corresponds to 1.17 kg.

According to Guldner, the prototype consumes around 1.2 kg/100 km, which translates to €14.38 per 100 km. At today’s elevated Belgian fuel prices, a diesel X5 consuming 8 litres/100 km costs approximately €19.55, while a petrol X5 using 9.2 liters costs €18.42.

TEAL Mobility recently lowered its hydrogen price at nine Benelux stations to €9.95/kg. At that rate, the iX5 would cost just €11.94 per 100 km.

Over five years and 100,000 km, hydrogen could save between €5,200 and €7,600 in fuel compared with diesel, assuming today’s prices persist.

However, fuel costs are not total ownership costs. BMW has yet to announce the purchase price of its production iX5 Hydrogen, scheduled for 2028, while maintenance and residual values remain unknown. Nor does a competitive pump price necessarily mean the hydrogen is entirely renewable.

The fuel-cell dilemma

The greatest challenge for hydrogen cars may come from the manufacturers’ own electric models.

We confronted Guldner with BMW’s new electric i3, offering up to 912 km WLTP range and the ability to add more than 400 km in ten minutes under ideal conditions. Why choose hydrogen when BEVs are becoming so capable while consuming far less renewable electricity?

Guldner argued that hydrogen could appeal to drivers without home or workplace charging, who might face increasing congestion at public chargers.

But hydrogen stations remain far scarcer than electric charging points. Hyundai faces the same dilemma with its new Nexo, which offers up to 826 km WLTP range, while Toyota continues to support the Mirai alongside its expanding battery-electric range.

All three manufacturers increasingly see opportunities beyond passenger cars, particularly in heavy-duty transport.

Can trucks save hydrogen cars?

Hyundai already operates XCIENT fuel-cell trucks, Toyota is developing new systems with Scania and Iveco, and Daimler Truck is preparing its next-generation hydrogen trucks.

Large commercial fleets could provide the predictable demand needed to make hydrogen production and refueling infrastructure viable. Passenger cars might then benefit from a network primarily developed for trucks.

There is an infrastructure argument, too. Megawatt charging hubs for electric trucks may require expensive grid upgrades, whereas hydrogen transported via existing or repurposed pipelines could help avoid some local electricity bottlenecks.

But hydrogen stations are hardly cheap. A medium-sized facility dispensing around one tonne daily can cost €3–5 million. Converting an existing petrol station still requires dedicated compressors, high-pressure storage, and safety systems. Nor can every truck station accommodate 700-bar passenger cars.

Megawatt-charging hubs can also cost several million euros. Which solution is more economical depends on location, utilization, and the cost of delivering energy. Meanwhile, battery-electric trucks and high-power charging continue to improve.

The surplus electricity argument

Mark Freymüller, CEO of Hyundai Energy & Hydrogen Europe, offered another justification: converting otherwise curtailed wind and solar electricity into hydrogen, which can be stored for weeks or even seasons, unlike conventional battery storage.

That could help address growing grid congestion. But electrolysis, compression, transport, and reconversion through a fuel cell involve substantial energy losses. And electrolyzers need sufficient operating hours to become profitable, even when surplus electricity is cheap.

During the press conference, we asked why the industry was not investing more aggressively in alternatives such as Belgian start-up Solhyd.

As NMN has reported extensively, the KU Leuven spin-off develops solar-powered modules that produce hydrogen from atmospheric moisture. The response was that the technology needed further scaling up. Yet isn’t industrial investment precisely what makes that possible?

Solhyd’s potential cost advantages still require large-scale validation, but the exchange illustrates how much innovation the hydrogen economy still needs.

A future built for others?

The International Energy Agency’s latest Global Hydrogen Review highlights the challenge: low-emissions hydrogen accounted for less than 1% of global production in 2025, while numerous projects face delays or cancellation.

Hydrogen may nevertheless find substantial demand in industry, shipping, seasonal energy storage, and selected heavy-duty transport applications.

For BMW, Toyota, and Hyundai, the ultimate question may no longer be whether hydrogen cars work, but whether an infrastructure built primarily for other purposes can eventually make them worth buying.