Skip to main content

There are many clean car options on the market, but one of the rarest and most unique is a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. Just like an electric vehicle, a hydrogen car is clean. However, the problem is that only a few people can buy them. If you live in California, you can choose between three hydrogen car options. Here’s a look at how much they’ll cost.

The 2021 Honda Clarity Hydrogen Fuel Cell

Although Honda has decided to end the Clarity Fuel Cell, it still remains a nice option for folks in California. However, many drivers who are interested in the Clarity Fuel Cell will probably never get to own one. Honda only offered the car for lease. The lease prices vary, but currently, the Clarity Fuel Cell can be leased for around $379 a month. Because it’s only available for lease, drivers won’t be able to take advantage of federal tax credits.

Since the Clarity Fuel Cell was technically an EV, it was equipped with an electric motor that could generate up to 212 hp and 99 lb-ft of torque. This allowed it to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 8.1 seconds, which isn’t fast, but it’s faster than its peers. 

In terms of fuel economy and range, the Clarity Fuel Cell got up to 68 mpge and could go about 366 miles on a full tank of hydrogen. Like other Hondas, the Clarity Fuel Cell was also equipped with a ton of smart standard features.

The 2022 Hyundai Nexo

A gold color 2022 Hyundai Nexo sitting outside a building in a city environment.
2022 Hyundai Nexo | 2022 Hyundai Motor Company

As far as hydrogen cars go, Nexo is a newcomer. It arrived in California in 2018. This Hyundai isn’t cheap with starting price of about $58,000. However, owners can take advantage of the federal tax credits since Hyundai is selling the Nexo. On top of that, the Nexo is an SUV which means that, while the Hyundai is pretty expensive for an SUV of its size, it will offer more room than other hydrogen cars will.

Like other hydrogen cars, the Nexo won’t be powerful, as its electric motor only gets about 174 hp. It’ll take the Nexo 8.4 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph. That said, the Nexo has a range of up to 380 miles and gets about 61 mpge combined. Another good thing about the Nexo is its interior, which comes with a 12.3-inch touch screen display and a lot of standard features. The cabin design is also nice and futuristic looking. 

The 2022 Toyota Mirai

The last hydrogen option available is the Mirai. Like the Clarity Fuel Cell, the Mirai is a sedan, but much cheaper than the Nexo with the Mirai starting at about $50,000. Like other hydrogen cars, the Mirai is currently only sold in California. And just like the Nexo, customers can take advantage of federal EV tax credits when they buy the Mirai.

The Mirai isn’t very fast with its electric motor only getting about 182 hp and taking about 9.1 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph. However, it is very fuel-efficient with 67 MPGe and a range of about 402 miles on a full tank of hydrogen. It’ll also have some nice features like a 12.3-inch touch screen display and a bunch of smart safety systems, including adaptive cruise control.

So, if you live in California and are looking for an alternative to an electric vehicle but still want something environmentally friendly, hydrogen fuel cell technology may be the way to go.

Related

Does the 2022 Toyota Mirai Limited Accomplish Anything Useful With Its $66K Price Tag?