Hydrogen is the simplest and most abundant element in the universe. It can be produced from a wide variety of domestic resources using a number of different technologies. It can be obtained from water by the process of electrolysis, splitting water molecules using electricity.

Hydrogen will play an important role in developing sustainable transportation, because it can be produced in virtually unlimited quantities using renewable resources.

Pure hydrogen and hydrogen mixed with natural gas have been used effectively to power automobiles, however, hydrogen's real potential rests in its future role as fuel for fuel cell vehicles.

Hydrogen-powered fuel cells hold enormous promise as a power source for a future generation of cars. It is the best pollution-free alternative to batteries while still using clean electric motors. Hydrogen fuel cells harness the chemical energy of hydrogen to generate electricity without combustion or pollution.

A fuel cell is an electrochemical device that combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, with water and heat as its by-product. As long as fuel is supplied, the fuel cell will continue to generate power. Since the conversion of the fuel to energy takes place via an electrochemical process, not combustion, the process is clean, quiet and highly efficient – two to three times more efficient than fuel burning.

No other energy generation technology offers the combination of benefits that fuel cells do. In addition to low or zero emissions, benefits include high efficiency and reliability, multi-fuel capability, siting flexibility, durability and ease of maintenance.

Hydrogen fuel-cell powered cars are the best alternatives to polluting, gasoline powered cars for several reasons: the cars are completely emission-free, the fuel cells have no moving parts, hydrogen is renewable and abundant, the cars are compatible with cold weather, the fuel cells are compact and lightweight.