DOE-funded research has reduced the cost of transportation fuel cells by 60% since 2006. Many of these cost reductions have come from early-stage research and development of catalysts and durable membrane electrode assemblies, as well as increased electrode performance. Fuel cell durability has also increased by a factor of 4 since 2006, now equivalent to 120,000 miles.

Bar chart shows a decrease in fuel cell system cost from $124/kW in 2006 to $45-$50/kW in 2017, nearing the 2020 target of $40/kW