Fuel Cell Program Extended Through ’07
The California Fuel Cell Partnership, a prime mover in the drive to perfect automotive fuel cells that run on hydrogen and produce no harmful tailpipe emissions, has extended its program through 2007.
“We’ve been honing this plan since April and approved it late last month,” spokesman Joe Irvin said.
The West Sacramento-based partnership -- whose members include most major automakers and several key government agencies and energy companies -- was formed in 1999 to encourage collaborative development work and real-world testing of vehicles powered by fuel cells.
A fuel cell replaces an electric car’s bulky batteries by combining hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity in an electro-chemical process on board the vehicle. The electricity then powers electric motors that propel the car or truck, with steam as the only tailpipe emission.
Automakers, fuel companies and others are spending billions of dollars to develop commercially viable systems because fuel cell vehicles are seen as the best replacement for cars and trucks powered by internal-combustion engines. California was chosen as the partnership’s home because its tough air quality rules that encourage fuel cell development make it the probable first state in which commercial fuel cell vehicles will be marketed.
So far, only about two dozen fuel cell vehicles are in use in California, but almost 40 more are expected to be on the road by the end of the year, Irvin said.
At least 250 fuel-cell vehicles should be in use in the state by the end of 2008 under requirements in the present version of the state’s oft-amended Zero Emissions Vehicle Mandate, Irvin said.
Automakers and analysts say that fuel cells should be ready for commercial automotive use in 10 years or less but that widespread adoption of the vehicles could be 20 years away because of the high cost and lack of a nationwide hydrogen fueling system.
A major partnership goal is to push for installation of more hydrogen fueling stations. Currently, there are eight stations in the state.
The partnership’s $2-million annual budget is funded by its 30 members, including General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., DaimlerChrysler, Volkswagen, Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co., Nissan Motor Co. and Hyundai Motor Co.
