High cost is a significant barrier to the adoption of hydrogen technology in the transportation sector. Using a comprehensive total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis this study evaluates the economic viability of hydrogen fuel cell trucks (FCT) in 2023 and estimates for 2030, in the People’s Republic of China’s transportation sector, in comparison to electric and diesel trucks. The model quantifies the economic impact of the inconvenience associated with hydrogen refueling, a critical factor that has been insufficiently addressed in existing literature, on TCO of FCTs.