Automakers work to put emission-free fuel cells into cars

Toyota, Nissan, GM, Ford, and DaimlerChrysler are all investing heavily in this new technology and they are expecting to mass produce fuel cell vehicles within the next 15 years. However, production costs are a limiting factor, as is the lack of necessary infrastructure for the new vehicles, such as hydrogen refueling stations.

• Advertising The automobile industry is targeting the development of emissions-free fuel cells for vehicles amid the rise of environmental awareness, an official at DaimlerChrysler AG said yesterday.
• A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device that converts hydrogen and oxygen into water, and in the process produces electricity.
• "Sustainable mobility is a fundamental human need, and thus, pollution-free technology is a way toward a secure future in terms of energy supply," said Christian Klein, DaimlerChrysler's project coordinator in Asia for Fuel Cell & Alternative Powertrain Vehicles.
• Klein made the remark yesterday as the US-German carmaker showcased a prototype of its fuel-cell Mercedes-Benz A-Class in Taipei.
• A fleet of fuel-cell-powered vehicles is currently undergoing road tests in various countries.
• To cut oil dependence and pollution, both Toyota Motor Corp and Honda Motor Co are producing gas-electric hybrid vehicles, while Hyundai Motor Co and the US' "Big Three" automakers, as well as some energy companies are developing hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles before mass-producing the vehicles within the next 15 years.
• Prototype of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class hydrogen-powered vehicle.
• Klein said DaimlerChrysler has put over 100 fuel-cell vehicles, including the A-Class and bus models, to road tests throughout Europe, Australia and Japan in recent years.
• The company plans to invest in 1 billion euros (US$1.29 billion) to mass-produce next-generation fuel-cell cars, which Jess Liu (¼B¨q¬Õ), public relations director at DaimlerChrysler Taiwan Ltd, said may be on the market by 2012.
• The fuel-cell tanks of A-Class models supply 350 pounds of compressed hydrogen directly to the fuel cell system, giving the car a range of about 150km.
• Though working prototypes show spectacular advances in fuel-cell engines, the industry is facing a much higher production cost than what is now used in today's gas or diesel-powered engine.