Here's a quote from an auto industry site about why "Hydrogen Stations" wouldn't be economical..
(From the Automotive Service Association site....
www. asashop. org/autoinc/may2002/mech.cfm)
"The Hydrogen Economy
According to the American Petroleum Institute, there are approximately 180,000 gas stations in the United States. The California Fuel Cell Partnership estimates the nation would need 500 hydrogen filling stations as part of the hydrogen infrastructure to serve an initial fuel-cell vehicle fleet size of 40,000 vehicles, as an example. At a cost-per-station estimated at $450,000, the financial commitment to a hydrogen economy is staggering."
What's funny is I remember about 5 years ago or so, they passed some EPA law in California that required every gas station out there to do some $300,000+ EPA upgrade thing. Tons of gas stations were pissed about that one.
So if a compliance "Upgrade" can be forced on stations that costs like a quarter of a million... why not a new and revolutionary alternative fuel choice that will cost slightly more than that per station?
... then again, you have to remember who came up with the $400k per station figure. The real number could possibly be much less than that per station.