An electrolytic gas generator (11, 111, 311, 413) for electrolyzing a reactant to generate at least a first gas, the electrolytic gas generator comprising: a polymer electrolyte membrane (13, 113), the polymer electrolyte membrane (13, 113) having opposing first and second faces; a first electrode (15, 115), the first electrode (15, 115) being electrically coupled to the first face of the polymer electrolyte membrane (13, 113); a second electrode (17, 117), the second electrode (17, 117) being electrically coupled to the second face of the polymer electrolyte membrane (13, 113); a first current collector (51, 151, 251, 351), the first current collector (51, 151, 251, 351) being electrically-conductive; a second current collector (91, 191), the second current collector (91, 191) being electrically-conductive and being electrically coupled to the second electrode (17, 117); and a power source (101, 201), the power source (101, 201) being electrically coupled to the first current collector (51, 151, 351) and to the second current collector (91, 191); characterized in that the first current collector (51, 151, 251, 351) is reversibly deformable between a first state in which the first current collector (51, 151, 251, 351) is electrically coupled to the first electrode (15, 115) and a second state in which the first current collector (51, 151, 251, 351) is at least partially electrically disconnected from the first electrode (15, 115), whereby, when the first current collector (51, 151, 251, 351) is in the first state and the reactant is supplied to the electrolytic gas generator (11, 111, 311, 413), a first gas is generated at the interface of the first electrode (15, 115) and the polymer electrolyte membrane (13, 113). a polymer electrolyte membrane (13, 113), the polymer electrolyte membrane (13, 113) having opposing first and second faces; a first electrode (15, 115), the first electrode (15, 115) being electrically coupled to the first face of the polymer electrolyte membrane (13, 113); a second electrode (17, 117), the second electrode (17, 117) being electrically coupled to the second face of the polymer electrolyte membrane (13, 113); a first current collector (51, 151, 251, 351), the first current collector (51, 151, 251, 351) being electrically-conductive; a second current collector (91, 191), the second current collector (91, 191) being electrically-conductive and being electrically coupled to the second electrode (17, 117); and a power source (101, 201), the power source (101, 201) being electrically coupled to the first current collector (51, 151, 351) and to the second current collector (91, 191); characterized in that the first current collector (51, 151, 251, 351) is reversibly deformable between a first state in which the first current collector (51, 151, 251, 351) is electrically coupled to the first electrode (15, 115) and a second state in which the first current collector (51, 151, 251, 351) is at least partially electrically disconnected from the first electrode (15, 115), whereby, when the first current collector (51, 151, 251, 351) is in the first state and the reactant is supplied to the electrolytic gas generator (11, 111, 311, 413), a first gas is generated at the interface of the first electrode (15, 115) and the polymer electrolyte membrane (13, 113).