Policies and deployment for Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles an assessment of the Normandy project

•The sustainability of the Normandy plan for FCEV light duty vehicles is questioned.•A more aggressive investment in infrastructure would be preferable.•A higher market share would result for FCEV, including long range vehicles and buses.•The higher consumption of hydrogen would be a strong lever to reduce its delivered cost.•But an earlier and higher level in public funds for infrastructure would be needed.

The paper provides a cost benefit analysis of one of the most prominent Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle deployment project in France, taking place in Normandy. The project builds on the substitution of a diesel Kangoo by an electric Kangoo ZE with a fuel cell range extender for public fleets. The sustainability of the scenario as it is envisioned today is questioned. A second scenario is explored. It builds on a more aggressive investment in infrastructure so as to generate a higher market share for FCEV, including long range vehicles and buses on top of light duty vehicles. It is shown that the resulting higher consumption of hydrogen would be a strong lever to reduce the cost of hydrogen refuelling stations as well as the transportation cost of hydrogen that would now be associated with on-site hydrogen production. This scenario may require a higher level in public funds at the early deployment phase but would deliver much better chances to achieve sustainability.