That is, if fuel cell technology continues to progress at its current rate. All major automakers will have demonstration fleets of fuel cell powered vehicles on the road by 2004. And if they work well enough, we could see them on sale in showrooms circa 2010. Click to learn more Ford recently unveiled its Focus FCV fuel cell car in Las Vegas, saying the car is a production prototype of the one it hopes to have on the road in four years. As built today, the FCV has a range of about 100 miles and power that's comparable to a current Focus, Kopt claims.
Fuel cells are more efficient than today's internal combustion engines.
They extract hydrogen from fuel to generate electricity. The only by-product is water vapor. Car makers believe they could eventually replace internal combustion engines over the next several decades, providing the clear-air benefits of electric cars without the limited range of battery power. Like Ford, GM has also developed a fuel cell vehicle of its own. Dubbed the Hydrogen 1, the prototype is impressive.