In short: There are only 44 public hydrogen fueling stations open in the United States, and 42 of them are in California. Search the map below for the ones near you, and check each station's status before you drive: hydrogen stations are often offline.
Map and station data: U.S. Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center Station Locator. Stations are listed by their owners and networks; check the network app before you drive.
What is hydrogen?
Hydrogen fuels fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) such as the Toyota Mirai, Hyundai Nexo and Honda CR-V e:FCEV. The fuel cell turns hydrogen and oxygen from the air into electricity, and the only tailpipe output is water vapor. Filling up takes about as long as filling a gas tank, a few minutes, at a pressure of 700 bar (about 10,000 psi).
Hydrogen is sold by the kilogram. A U.S. Department of Energy price sample in April 2026 found an average of about $28 per kilogram, so fueling a fuel cell car usually costs more per mile than gasoline or charging an EV at home.
Who uses it
Drivers of fuel cell cars, almost all of them in California, plus a growing number of transit buses and trucks that fill at private fleet stations (not shown as public on the map).
Where the stations are
The U.S. Department of Energy lists 44 public hydrogen stations open in 3 states (October 2026). The states with the most:
- California (42)
- Hawaii (1)
- Texas (1)
What hydrogen costs
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Cities and Communities Alternative Fuel Price Report for April 2026 (prices collected April 1–30, 2026) received only 16 hydrogen prices. They averaged $28.46 per gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE). One kilogram of hydrogen holds about the same energy as one gallon of gasoline, so that is close to the price per kilogram you see on the pump. The sample is too small for regional averages, and the report does not break hydrogen out by region. The January 2026 report had 20 hydrogen prices, averaging $29.07 per GGE.
| Fuel | National average, April 2026 |
|---|---|
| Hydrogen | $28.46 per GGE (about 1 kg), 16 prices |
| Gasoline | $4.09 per gallon |
| Diesel | $5.55 per gallon ($4.94 per GGE) |
Our cost-per-mile example (an estimate, not a quote): the 2026 Toyota Mirai is rated 72 MPGe combined by the EPA, which works out to roughly 72 miles per kilogram. At $28.46 per kilogram, that is about 40 cents a mile, or about $119 for 300 miles. A gasoline car that gets 30 mpg, at the April 2026 average of $4.09 a gallon, costs about 14 cents a mile, or about $41 for 300 miles. So driving on hydrogen at these prices costs roughly three times as much per mile. If your car came with a prepaid fuel card, your own cost will be lower while the card lasts. To compare with charging a battery car at home, try our EV charging cost calculator.
Hydrogen cars you can get in 2026
FuelEconomy.gov, the official DOE and EPA fuel economy site, lists four 2026 model-year fuel cell vehicles. They are sold or leased mainly in California, where the stations are.
| 2026 model | EPA combined rating | EPA driving range |
|---|---|---|
| Toyota Mirai | 72 MPGe | 402 miles |
| Hyundai Nexo | 60 MPGe | 395 miles |
| Hyundai Nexo Blue | 68 MPGe | 442 miles |
| Honda CR-V e:FCEV | Plug-in fuel cell SUV: about 29 miles on battery charge, then hydrogen | |
Beyond passenger cars, the DOE says hydrogen heavy-duty tractors are available on a demonstration basis and hydrogen buses are in early deployment. Those fleets usually fill at private stations that are not shown as public on the map. Ask the dealer about current prices and lease terms, since they are not published by the government.
You cannot convert a regular car to hydrogen in any approved way. The EPA’s lists of certified alternative fuel conversion systems (updated September 2026 and February 2026) include natural gas, propane and flex-fuel conversions, but no hydrogen systems.
Programs and incentives (2026)
Federal. Several federal credits that helped hydrogen ended or changed after the July 2025 tax law. Here is what we checked on IRS and DOE pages on October 3, 2026:
- New clean vehicle credit (up to $7,500), which covered fuel cell cars: the IRS says it is not available for vehicles acquired after September 30, 2025.
- Commercial clean vehicle credit for businesses: the DOE lists it as expired on September 30, 2025.
- Alternative fuel refueling property credit, which covered hydrogen dispensers and storage: the IRS page covers equipment placed in service from January 1, 2023, to June 30, 2026.
- Clean hydrogen production credit (up to $3 per kilogram) goes to hydrogen producers, not drivers. The DOE notes its own listing may be outdated, so ask a tax professional about its current status.
States. These programs appear on the DOE’s state laws and incentives pages:
- California: HVIP vouchers from the California Air Resources Board lower the cost of hydrogen trucks and buses for fleets operating in the state. The Clean Transportation Program of the California Energy Commission must put at least 15% of its funds each year toward hydrogen stations. Hydrogen is also covered by the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, and state law requires at least 60% of retail transportation hydrogen to be renewable by the end of 2030.
- Colorado: a state tax credit of $750 for a light-duty electric or fuel cell vehicle bought or leased in 2026 (price limit of $80,000).
- Texas: the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan offers rebates of up to $2,500 on new light-duty fuel cell vehicles during open application periods, and grants for hydrogen trucks and stations.
Programs open and close often, so check the agency’s page before you sign. More on how credits work in our incentives guide.
Supply and trends
- Stations are shrinking, not growing. The DOE counted 88 hydrogen stations (public and private) at the end of 2023, 84 at the end of 2024 and 78 at the end of 2025. In October 2026 the map shows 44 public stations open.
- Cars on the road are flat. About 16,900 hydrogen cars were registered in 2023 and in 2024, and about 16,600 in 2025, all of them in California (DOE, from Experian data).
- Where the hydrogen comes from. Most U.S. hydrogen is made by steam reforming of natural gas, and almost all of it goes to oil refining, metals, fertilizer and food processing rather than cars, according to the DOE.
- Prices are high and steady. The small DOE samples averaged $29.07 per GGE in January 2026 and $28.46 in April 2026.
Want the bigger picture? Read how hydrogen energy works.
Safety and handling
Every fuel needs care, and hydrogen has its own profile. The DOE explains that hydrogen is non-toxic and much lighter than air, so a leak rises and spreads out quickly. It also catches fire more easily than gasoline over a wider range of mixtures with air, and it burns with a nearly invisible flame. That is why stations and cars are built with leak detection, ventilation and special flame sensors, and why hydrogen tanks go through leak, garage-leak and drop tests.
- Passenger fuel cell cars store hydrogen at 10,000 psi (sold as “H70”). A fill takes about 3 to 5 minutes. Buses use 5,000 psi tanks (“H35”) and take 10 to 15 minutes.
- Stations follow NFPA 2, the national hydrogen fueling code.
- Follow the steps on the dispenser screen, stay with the car while it fills, and call the station’s support line if a fill stops early instead of retrying again and again.
More questions about hydrogen cars
How much does it cost to fill up a hydrogen car?
Hydrogen averaged about $28 per kilogram in the DOE’s April 2026 price sample, and a fuel cell car goes roughly 60 to 72 miles per kilogram, depending on the model. By our estimate, that is about 40 cents a mile, or around $120 to drive 300 miles in a Mirai. If your car came with a prepaid fuel card, check how much it covers.
Is hydrogen better than gasoline?
It depends on what matters to you. A fuel cell car has no tailpipe pollution, only water vapor, and fills in minutes. But at 2026 prices it costs about three times as much per mile as a 30 mpg gasoline car, and almost all public stations are in California. For most drivers outside California, it is not a practical choice yet.
Can I convert my car to run on hydrogen?
No. Fuel cell cars are built that way at the factory, with a fuel cell, high-pressure tanks and an electric motor. The EPA’s 2026 lists of certified conversion systems include no hydrogen conversions, and kits sold as “hydrogen” or “water” boosters for gasoline engines do not turn a car into a hydrogen vehicle.
Before you go
- Check the station's own status page or app before you drive: stations go offline for maintenance or supply problems more often than gas or charging stations.
- Plan trips around stations that are open, since there may be only one or two in a region.
- If your car came with a prepaid fuel card, check how much is left and which stations accept it.
Hydrogen station questions
Is there a hydrogen station near me?
Only if you live in California, near the one station in Hawaii or the one in Texas. Outside those places, there are no public hydrogen stations as of October 2026, which is why fuel cell cars are sold almost only in California.
Can I put hydrogen in a regular car?
No. Only fuel cell vehicles built for hydrogen can use it. A regular gasoline car cannot be filled with hydrogen, and "water-powered" kits do not work.
More station maps
Learn more: How hydrogen energy works · Can a car run on water?.
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center, Station Locator (public, open stations, read October 3, 2026) and fuel pages; hydrogen price from the DOE Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, April 2026.