Automakers Join Forces to Develop Fuel Cell Technology
Monday, January 28th, 2013January 28, 2013
Automakers Ford Motor Company, Renault-Nissan, and Daimler AG announced today that they would work together to develop a fuel cell system for use in vehicles that will give off no emissions (pollutants). (Ford is based in Dearborn, Michigan; Renault-Nissan is a French-Japanese alliance; and Daimler AG is a Germany company that manufactures Mercedes Benz.) The three automakers have scheduled the launch of “the world’s first affordable, mass-market fuel cell car” by 2017. Forms of transportation, such as automobiles, airplanes, ships, and trains, are the leading source of air pollution in most industrial nations. Fuel cell powered vehicles would solve much of this problem.
The plan is to develop a single hydrogen electric fuel system that can be used on vehicles produced by all three companies. Vehicles powered by fuel cells generate electric power from hydrogen and oxygen, and emit only water vapor. “Working together will significantly help speed this technology to market at a more affordable cost to our customers,” stated Raj Nair, vice president of global product development at Ford. “We will all benefit from this relationship, as the resulting solution will be better than any one company working alone.”
German automaker BMW and Japanese carmaker Toyota have also joined forces to develop hydrogen fuel cell technology. All of the companies are encouraging others–possibly oil companies with existing gas stations–to built the necessary refueling stations.
Additional World Book articles:
- Electric car
- Hybrid car
- The Big Three Roll Again (a special report)
- Clearing the Way for a Hydrogen Economy (a special report)
- New Currents in Battery Technology (a special report)