Burns says a fuel-cell vehicle has one-tenth the number of parts of a traditional internal combustion engine.

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And many electric utilities have facilities that create hydrogen power, but consumers can't just pull in with a fuel-cell vehicle and say, "Fill 'er up!"

FORBES: Fueling Hope

Honda says the FCX is the first fuel-cell vehicle that works in extreme cold weather (as low as -20 degrees Celsius or -4 degrees Fahrenheit).

FORBES: Fueling Hope

The company has delivered a carefully worded pledge: GM will develop a hydrogen-fuel-cell vehicle that could compete on cost with traditional vehicles-if it were to be built in high volumes-by 2010.

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The plasmatron probably wouldn't be able to power a fuel-cell vehicle by itself or eliminate the need for hydrogen-fueling stations but, say the engineers, it could be a bridge to hydrogen technology.

FORBES: Clearing the Air

Also a type of electric vehicle, a fuel-cell car takes hydrogen gas and converts it into electricity, while emitting only water vapor.

CNN: Hydrogen fuel-cell cars look to overtake electric autos

The cars, including the Toyota Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle advanced (FCHV-adv), fuel up at Proton OnSite in Connecticut, are in test fleets, and the numbers are very small.

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Honda too, in its recent mid-term review, announced that it plans to roll out a fuel cell vehicle in Japan, the U.S. and Europe by 2015.

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One fuel-cell factory, however, could make propulsion systems for every size and shape of vehicle.

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