Remember hydrogen fuel cells? They were all the rage before electric cars became the status quo among the green crowd, but a new partnership between two of the auto world's biggest heavyweights looks to shake up that dynamic and bring hydrogen back to the forefront.
On Wednesday, Honda and General Motors announced a master agreement to develop a next-generation fuel cell system and hydrogen storage technology by 2020. The companies hope that the partnership will allow them to leverage each other's expertise to create a new infrastructure with long-term viability.
"This collaboration builds upon Honda and GM's strengths as leaders in hydrogen fuel cell technology," said Dan Akerson, GM chairman and CEO, in a press statement. "We are convinced this is the best way to develop this important technology, which has the potential to help reduce the dependence on petroleum and establish sustainable mobility."
Honda and GM note that hydrogen fuel cells can draw power from sources like wind and biomass and that their only emissions come in the form of water vapor.
According to the Clean Energy Patent Growth Index, GM and Honda hold the top two spots on the list and collectively share 1,200 patents related to fuel cell technology. In addition, GM's Project Driveway program has logged some 3 million miles with its fleet of 119 hydrogen-powered cars, while Honda has already announced a 2015 follow-up to its hydrogen-powered FCX Clarity.
"Among all zero CO2 emission technologies, fuel cell electric vehicles have a definitive advantage with range and refueling time that is as good as conventional gasoline cars," said Takanobu Ito, president & CEO of Honda Motor Co. "Honda and GM are eager to accelerate the market penetration of this ultimate clean mobility technology, and I am excited to form this collaboration to fuse our leading fuel cell technologies and create an advanced system that will be both more capable and more affordable."
It's unclear when GM might release a new hydrogen-powered vehicle of its own, but the company promised that it would announce its fuel cell production plans in the near future.
