General Motors and Honda have agreed to jointly develop a next -generation fuel battery hydrogen storage technologies by 2020. This collaboration is based on sharing knowledge, economies of scale and common hiring strategies.
GM and Honda are leading the way in fuel cell technology innovation . Between them, they hold more than 1,200 patents filed between 2002 and 2012, ranking first and second, respectively, in the Clean Energy Patent Growth Index.
"This collaboration builds on the strengths of Honda and GM as leaders in hydrogen fuel cell technology," said Dan Akerson, GM chairman and CEO. "This important technology has the potential to help reduce our dependence on oil and establish sustainable mobility.".
Takanobu Ito, president and CEO of Honda, said: "Among all zero-CO2 emission technologies, battery electric vehicles have a definite advantage with a refueling range as good as conventional gasoline cars. Honda and GM are eager to accelerate the market penetration of this latest clean mobility technology. I am very excited to be part of this collaboration to merge our leading fuel cell technologies and create an advanced system that will be just as, if not more, capable and more affordable.".
Programs developed by General Motors and Honda regarding electric batteries and hydrogen:
GM started the Project Driveway program in 2007, which has accumulated almost 3 million kilometers of real-world driving in a fleet of 119 hydrogen-powered vehicles, more than any other automaker.
Honda, for its part, began leasing the Honda FCX in 2002 and has deployed 85 units in the US and Japan, including its successor, the FCX Clarity, which was named the 2009 World Green Car. Honda has delivered these vehicles to customers in the US and has collected valuable data on the real-world fuel consumption of battery electric vehicles.
As previously announced, Honda plans to launch the successor to the FCX Clarity in Japan and the United States in 2015, and later in Europe. GM will announce its fuel cell production plans at a later date.
Electric and hydrogen batteries address many of today's major automotive challenges—oil dependence, emissions, efficiency, range, and refueling times. Fuel cell vehicles can run on renewable hydrogen from sources such as wind and biomass. The only emission from fuel cell vehicles is water vapor.
Furthermore, fuel cell vehicles can have a driving range of up to 643 kilometers, can be recharged in just three minutes, and the fuel cell battery can be used in small, medium, and large vehicles.
Sep 14, 2025