How Institutional Configurations Drive the Regional Adoption of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) are critical to low-carbon transport. However, the collective influence of government, market, and society on regional HFCVs adoption remains insufficiently examined. Drawing on the institutional configuration theory, this study integrates Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) with multi-period fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), utilizing panel data from 31 Chinese provinces between 2019 and 2024. The findings reveal that no single institutional factor is necessary for HFCVs adoption; instead, multiple effective configurations emerge from the interplay of institutional components. In Period one, adoption is driven by government–market synergy, government–society regulation, and full triadic coordination. In Period two, adoption pathways converge toward infrastructure-led development, government–society regulation, and trilateral collaboration becoming dominant patterns. Regional comparisons further reveal divergent adoption pathways across eastern, central, and western provinces. The findings elucidate the temporal-spatial evolution of institutional dynamics in green technology diffusion and offer targeted policy implications for HFCVs adoption.