The protons pass through the polymer electrolyte membrane to the cathode, where they combine with oxygen from air and electrons from the external circuit to produce pure water and a moderate amount of heat as the only by-products. In the Ballard fuel cell, hydrogen fuel dissociates into electrons and protons, and the electrons are harnessed to power an electric motor. In a more recent article on fuel cell technology, Simanaitis advances his prediction about the reality of fuel cell electric vehicles by at least a decade or more, due to the rapid rate of technological development in this field. In fact, a recent global alliance formed among Ballard Power Systems, Daimler-Benz, and Ford Motor Company is planning to have fuel cell power trains ready for commercial vehicles by 2004. Ballard's fuel cells are also currently being used by many leading international auto companies, including General Motors, Chrysler, Nissan, Volkswagen, and others.
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