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Big Three Pillar Salontis issued a rather
shocking warning this week when it reported
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preliminary financial figures that estimate a
$2.7 billion first half loss.
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And as the auto company gets focused on the
poor financials impacted largely by tariff
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costs and related production losses, it’s also
unveiled some strategic changes relating to R&D.
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Stella has said it will suspend its hydrogen
development program and with it will
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discontinue.
The hydrogen powered commercial vans that it
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had previously planned to begin making this
year.
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In explaining the decision, Jean Philippe
Imperato, Stellati’s chief operating officer
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for enlarged Europe, said the technology had no
prospects of mid-term economic sustainability
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after describing the hydrogen market as a niche.
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Stellantis has not been alone in efforts to
commercialize the technology,
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despite its ability to produce emission-free
power while operating,
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producing Hydrogen for power has traditionally
been environmentally unfriendly.
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Secondly, lack of scale means it’s both
expensive and suffers from a lack of refueling
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infrastructure.
And it’s this infrastructure issue that
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Stellati cited as a primary reason behind its
decision.
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According to FastTech, there were just 54
public hydrogen stations in the United States
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in 2024, and another 20 privately owned
hydrogen refueling stations for fleets.
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And while other major auto companies, Toyota,
most notably,
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Continue to be bullish on hydrogen fuel cells.
Things are still hanging by a thread despite
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the optimism.
Last year, Toyota offered such dramatic
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discounts on its Mirai, an electric vehicle
that runs off a hydrogen fuel cell,
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that it appeared to put Toyota completely in
the red once a generous promotion for free fuel
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was added in.
Whether things will turn around remains to be
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seen, but clearly, Stellati doesn’t want to
wait around to find out.
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I’m Anna Wells, and this is manufacturing now.