In another step toward developing fuel cell systems for commercial use by the end of this year, GM will demonstrate an integrated system with this advanced fuel processor and a fuel cell stack that produces 25 kW. GM selected the 25kW system as a learning platform, which approaches the overall efficiency requirements for automotive use. But we must continue to develop the technologies. We need less costly materials that still meet the durability and the standards that customer's demand. And we need a reliable and safe fuel infrastructure that will make hydrogen as readily available as gasoline is today. Fuel cell vehicles run on electricity generated by an electrochemical process that uses hydrogen and oxygen.
Fuel cells are a quiet, clean source of power, with water as the only emission.
While GM believes hydrogen is the fuel of the future, it is developing gasoline processors as a bridge between today's fuel cell cars and tomorrow's true hydrogen-powered vehicles. The unique, new catalyst GM has developed for its gasoline fuel processor solves a problem that has plagued engineers - how to prevent the catalyst from breaking down due to vibration during driving. In a fuel cell, the catalyst is critical because it helps convert the fuel into electricity. GM expects this fuel cell system to achieve nearly 40 percent peak efficiency, nearly twice that of today's typical internal combustion engine. GM believes gasoline fuel cells make use of an existing infrastructure and a readily available fuel supply.