Where can I buy hydrogen and where is my nearest hydrogen filling station?

Hydrogen fuel-cell cars present an interesting alternative to battery-electric cars, as they can be topped up quickly at a refuelling station – just like a petrol or diesel car. Hydrogen cars also offer great range, with the second-generation Toyota Mirai saloon capable of covering roughly 400 miles on a single tank.

These cars don't feature any compromises in terms of space or practicality from batteries under the floor, either. Plus, the only emissions from the tailpipe are water, and if the hydrogen is created using 100% renewable sources, it’s entirely sustainable. However, there are some limitations to hydrogen power.

Firstly, there are currently just two hydrogen fuel-cell cars available in the UK: the Toyota Mirai and the Hyundai NEXO SUV, however, the latter is now only available to business customers. More models are planned, though, such as hydrogen-powered versions of the Renault Master LCV and Vauxhall Vivaro-e van, which will be arriving in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

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We also know that Land Rover is developing a hydrogen fuel-cell prototype based on the Defender, but that's all we know about the project so far. A version of the BMW X5 SUV with a hydrogen fuel-cell called the iX5 has been unveiled, too, but the German brand won't be offering fuel-cell cars for sale to the public until 2025.

Sports car maker BAC has also announced it's working on a hydrogen fuel-cell version of its single-seater MONO, meanwhile Hyundai has already teased its upcoming FCEV sports car with the Vision FK prototype: a two-door future BMW M4 rival with over 670bhp on tap. However, we don't yet know when either of these cars will be making their public debut.

On top of the lack of hydrogen-powered vehicles available at this point in time, the refuelling infrastructure is severely lacking in certain areas of the UK, as you'll see from our table of locations below.

​Where can I find a UK hydrogen refuelling station, how much does it cost and how do I fill up?

According to UK H2 Mobility, there are currently 10 hydrogen stations open and active in the UK. Five of these are located within the M25, with others in the southeast and Wiltshire. There are also two in Scotland, but none currently operational in Northern Ireland or Wales. Here's the full list:

There are plans for four more stations, one in Belfast, one in Glasgow, another at Cavendish House (Prince’s Wharf, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 6QY) and finally, one at the A50/A38 services (Willington, Derby, DE65 6DX). There were two in Wales, but these have now closed, as have two previous Midlands locations, at Coventry University and the University of Birmingham. 

Hydrogen cars are as easy to fill as a petrol or diesel one. It takes around five minutes to fill a tank. The pumps are similar to those at a conventional fuel station, and you plug the nozzle into your car in the same way. A kilogramme of hydrogen costs around £10-£15 in the UK. As an example, the Toyota Mirai’s fuel tank holds five kilogrammes, so it isn’t that much cheaper right now to use hydrogen compared to petrol or diesel.