A March 2024 report produced jointly by the Environmental Defense Fund and WSP USA calculated that US$188bn has been invested in electric vehicle (EV) and battery manufacturing in the US since 2015. While the nation’s electrification journey will be challenging, interest is clearly accelerating—61% of the total capital followed the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in August 2022.
Despite this progress, there is recognition that achieving decarbonisation goals cannot be wholly reliant on battery EVs. “That technology just doesn’t make sense for some markets and use cases,” says David Perzynski, Assistant Manager of Hydrogen Carbon Neutral Solutions at American Honda Motor Company. He tells Automotive World that fuel cells will be important for rounding out the US’ zero-emission mobility mix.
