The large variety of potential hydrogen and fuel cell applications and the associated uncertainties of selecting a particular application pose a challenge for developers in the field: identifying and evaluating promising market niches. Therefore, we conducted an online survey comprising a choice experiment in Switzerland and Germany to assess fleet decision-makers' preferences for hydrogen-powered street sweepers compared to (more) conventional diesel and compressed natural gas (CNG)/biogas vehicles. The findings indicate that the fleet decision-making structures and vehicle operating practices make street sweeper fleets a promising application for the early implementation of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Furthermore, the results show that a market niche for hydrogen-powered sweepers exists in both countries. The choice experiment was a useful approach for the identification of promising market niches and thereby reduces the uncertainties of application selection. Copyright (C) 2012, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.