Holden and CSIRO research powertrain technologies

While volume production of such hydrogen fuel cell vehicles is a long way off, the GM focus is on generating maximum results in a series of stages. It is increasing the efficiency of internal combustion engines by a variety of means, including such technologies as 'displacement on demand', which shuts down half the cylinders on V6 and V8 engines when they're not needed.

General Motors also has three different hybrid systems in development or production and has introduced hybrid powertrains on heavy fuel users such as passenger buses. Up to 90 per cent cleaner than conventional counterparts, GM hybrid buses now operate in more than a dozen US cities. Several hybrid versions of high-volume GM passenger and sports utility vehicles will next year join hybrid pickups already on the market.

To prepare the way for a hydrogen economy, GM supports recommendations made by a 2002 global forum on personal transportation hosted by the US Secretary of Energy. The first is to encourage governments to invest research and development funding into fuel cells. The second is that nations should be early consumers of fuel cell vehicles to provide the seeds of growth and create momentum for new technologies. Next, nations should adopt minimum and harmonised codes and standards of hydrogen infrastructure and fuel to avoid creating a maze of rules and policies. Finally, nations should commit to and implement a global hydrogen infrastructure.