GM, Shell join forces for hydrogen fuel

General Motors Corp. and Shell Hydrogen are combining resources to help make hydrogen fuel cell vehicles a commercially viable reality.

"The partnership brings together two leaders in hydrogen energy and transportation to take a coordinated and comprehensive approach," said Donald Huberts, chief executive officer of Shell Hydrogen. "By combining GM’s expertise in vehicle with Shell’s leadership in refueling technologies, the initiative represents an important step forward in commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles."

The centerpiece of the partnership will be a real-life demonstration of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and fueling infrastructure technology in Washington, DC in the United States between GM and Shell Hydrogen. The demonstration will feature the US’ first hydrogen pump at a Shell retail gas station to support a General Motors’ demonstration fleet of fuel cell vehicles.

With the combined hydrogen vehicle-fueling station demonstration in Washington as the foundation of the partnership, GM and Shell will together focus on three key areas:Increased awareness and understanding on the part of policy-makers, knowledge sharing, and experience and learning from the trial under real-life and real-time condition.

"GM and Shell share a vision that has been made a national priority by President Bush in his State of the Union address," said Larry Burns, GM’s vice president for research, development and planning. "To get there, GM and Shell will provide an entire system — from the generation and distribution of hydrogen to a retail station, and the storage of hydrogen on a vehicle to the actual vehicle itself."