The goal is production-ready technology by 2004. Ford says it'll have a drivable fuel-cell concept ready later this year. Raphael Edinger, a DaimlerChrysler researcher at the Davis conference, said fuel cells will be used to power both cars and houses in the next century. In California, the state has mandates that require a certain number of zero-emission vehicles to be sold by 2003. That's how close we are.
Cost remains a big issue.
In 2005, the fuel cells are not going to be the same cost as the gasoline car. But companies might feel it's far enough along and in their interest to, in a sense subsidize the cost to sell it at a competitive price just to get a leg up on the competition. Schwartz summed up the conference succinctly. It's the end of the internal-combustion engine we are talking about here. 2001 Knight Ridder Inc. and may not be republished without permission.