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In November 2024, ARCHES released a Request for Information (RFI) to solicit feedback on its proposed strategic frameworks for supporting the adoption of 5,000 fuel cell electric trucks (FCET) and 1,000 fuel cell electric buses (FCEB) in California. The RFI included specific market development and cost reduction frameworks for FCETs and FCEBs. 1 Additionally, ARCHES posed a series of targeted questions for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), truck fleet operators, transit agencies, and hydrogen station developers. The questions requested feedback on the effectiveness of the overall approach, structure of the proposed Request for Proposal (RFP), vehicle manufacturing volumes and purchase plans, incentive design, vehicle price parity, cost reductions, and more.

This RFI garnered over 50 written responses across six categories: FCET OEMs, FCEB OEMs, truck fleet operators, transit agencies, hydrogen station developers, and others. Respondents articulated their support for the core components of the proposed strategic frameworks for fuel cell trucks and buses. The responses were categorized by the number of organizations that responded to questions in six response categories. Since organizations often have expertise in multiple areas, several entities provided feedback in more than one category.

Hydrogen is a strategic economic and energy opportunity to expand America’s industrial base, energy security, and global leadership. Despite good progress made in the past several years, the US hydrogen industry faces headwinds and slow scale up. The more its market lags, the more it risks falling behind other countries actively building markets and securing supply chains.

This report explores the conditions stalling US hydrogen market growth, including weak domestic demand caused by fragmented policies and challenged economics in many domestic offtake sectors. With case studies for hydrogen in exports, on-road mobility, aviation, steel, and maritime shipping, it highlights the early wins and remaining steps to accelerate market development.

Federal and state policy makers can put America on a path to unleash widespread hydrogen investments and solidify energy leadership by considering the following actions: retain current federal incentives, promote development of the exports market, increase demand-side policy incentives for hydrogen and its derivative commodities, and strengthen infrastructure policy supports.