Daimler-Chrysler presented the world’s first fuel-cell car, NECAR I, in 1944. Since then the company has developed a whole series of test cars. Many other automakers have also developed fuel-cell cars and are demonstrating them right now. For a complete listing of fuel-cell vehicles, visit www.fuelcells.org/info/charts/carchart.pdf.

Efficiency, cleanliness, quiet operation, and abundant fuel supply may promote widespread fuel-cell use for personal fuel-cell vehicles in the future. However, the engineering work needed to make these vehicles practical is still at the research and development stage.

Figure 17 NECAR 4 (2000, left) and NECAR 1 (1994, right) Source: Daimler-Chrysler