IT was interesting to see that the Honda FCX Clarity, claimed to be the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell car to come off a production line, has recently been demonstrated in the UK.
Hydrogen fuel cells are another illustration of how levels of complexity will increase in the future and that motorists will have some interesting decisions to make about alternative fuel vehicles.
The hydrogen vehicle from Honda is an electric car but the difference is how the electricity is generated.
In a hydrogen fuel car the power is stored in the form of gaseous hydrogen, the gas then flows to the fuel cell where a controlled reaction takes place between the hydrogen and oxygen from the atmosphere.
That produces two things - water, which is the waste product and comes out of the exhaust and electricity that is sent to the electric motor at the front.
Although there are currently limited locations in the UK where you can fill up a hydrogen vehicle, plans are under way to implement a series of hydrogen refuelling stations.
The development of alternative fuels to petrol and diesel has been going on for decades and as global climate change has risen up the political agenda, low carbon technologies are rapidly advancing.
Now electric and hydrogen powertrains are competing for manufacturer R&D spend alongside conventional petrol and diesel technology with every manufacturer also looking at hybridisation - where two or more technologies run side by side such as petrol-electric powertrains.
This innovation in low carbon technologies is a positive move for motorists as in the future it will give them choices and they will need to look at their own requirements very carefully and make sure they make the right choice to suit their lifestyle.
Mike Waters is director of market insight at Arval, Europe's leading funded fleet and fuel management company.