The United States Council for Automotive Research LLC, a cooperative effort between General Motors, Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler, just released an interesting new paper.  The Big 3 state that “only hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle technology offers the promise of true-zero emissions, superior efficiency and uncompromised functionality” and that failing to restore funding would make the U.S. “uncomfortably dependent” on foreign nations for the technology.

The document, entitled Hydrogen Research for Transportation: a USCAR Perpective, addresses technical issues and progress for fuel cells, hydrogen storage, hydrogen source pathways and infrastructure and finds that (among other things):

• Cost, performance and durability has greatly improved in the past 5 years but need continued support to reach target goals
• Onboard hydrogen storage systems cost significantly less than batteries used in EVs and plug-in hybrids
• The range of vehicles with compressed hydrogen tanks vastly exceeds the range capability of equivalent size battery powered vehicles
• A network of just 12,000 hydrogen stations would put hydrogen within two miles of 70 percent of the U.S. population (in the 100 largest metropolitan areas) and connect the major U.S. metro areas with a hydrogen refueling station every 25 miles

The report concludes that DOE should balance technology development priorities to include fuel cell vehicles to assure that the current pace of development continues.  Let’s hope DOE takes this plea to heart.

Have you read the report? Leave us your thoughts.