A method for operating a fuel cell device, the fuel cell device having a fuel cell, and a motor vehicle having a drive system and the fuel cell device are disclosed. In order to avoid energy which has been made available by the fuel cell device being used merely to heat the fuel cell and therefore not being available for a consumer, there is provision according to the invention that the energy to be stored is limited as a function of the ambient temperature and the fuel cell device has for this purpose an ambient temperature-determining unit and a charge limiter which is connected to the ambient temperature-determining unit in a control signal-transmitting fashion.