http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=586907

Mar 16, 2005 - BRUSSELS (Reuters) - DaimlerChrysler's first
hydrogen-powered car using fuel cell technology will be on sale from
2012, a company executive said on Wednesday.

The firm has sent 60 Mercedes-Benz A-Class cars to Japan, Germany,
Singapore and the United States for tests. Many car companies are
developing hydrogen-powered cars to help wean the globe off diminishing
oil supplies.

The Mercedes car uses fuel cell technology where electricity is
generated through the chemical reaction between hydrogen and air,
emitting only water vapor.

"It (commercialization) will start in 2012," Herbert Kohler, Vice
President of the Body and Powertrain research unit at DaimlerChrysler
told reporters in Brussels, on the margins of a hydrogen car technology
exhibition.

But there are still technical obstacles to overcome such as extending
fuel cells' reliability and durability; ensuring that they start at
sub-freezing temperatures; reducing costs, and storing enough hydrogen
in a small enough space to be workable.

The car industry is also waiting for the roll-out of hydrogen filling
stations.

Shell Hydrogen Chief Executive Jeremy Bentham said once consumers
demanded hydrogen filling stations, energy companies would meet it.

"We see that these vehicles have the potential to be attractive to
consumers," he told reporters. "Our job is to make sure we are prepared
for that business."

Hydrogen is already produced in refineries for industrial purposes and
the energy industry needs to build the infrastructure to sell it to
consumers, said Bentham.

He said Europe would need 50 million tons of hydrogen per year to power
cars.

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