Hydrogen is the strongest alternative to fossil fuels in cars. It believes GM, which will begin selling fuel-cell vehicles 2015th. The fuel cell is the alternative to petrol and diesel. No plug-in hybrids or pure electric cars. Marketing studies that GM's European subsidiary Opel has shown that customers want to have quiet and clean cars powered by electricity, but they can be recharged in minutes and have the same amount of mileage as a fossil-fueled car. Concern about being stranded without power is great.

There are requests we can not offer the battery-powered electric cars, "says von Rittmar Helmolt, director of research for alternative fuels at Opel.

He sees no possibility of batteries developed dramatically in the foreseeable future. The goal of one million electric cars in Germany in 2020 will require 750 000 charging stations. To charge the electric cars will be forced to use electricity from the network that is far from green. The cut in the EU is 421 grams of carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour of electricity, in Germany 523 grams, 643 grams in the UK and in Poland 943 grams.

The solution to the various problems as Opel on hydrogen-powered fuel cell. It appeared that the future solution for a long time, but life and the price has been the technology of the dish. Let's see GM's developers that the technology is becoming mature. 100 test cars in what's called Generation 4 rolls around in various cities in the world. The fuel cell is the day for a distance of 50 000 km. 2015, a new generation of fuel cells cope with 200 000 kilometers. Then also need to halve to 130 kilograms, the amount of platinum needed from 80 grams to 30 and the cold start temperatures have been reduced from minus 25 degrees Celsius to minus 40 degrees.

We will be able to leave a ten-year warranty on the fuel cell, "said Stephen Berger, who is responsible for the development of fuel cells at Opel. With fuel-cell car can automakers offer ranges of 500 kilometers. The car owner can fill up fully in three minutes, but currently lacking the infrastructure for hydrogen needed for technology to be successful.

In collaboration with several oil companies are planning GM and other automakers to use gas stations that exist today as filling stations for hydrogen. The replenishment is then as simple as filling up petrol in the day.

For the same price as 750 000 charging stations for electric cars, we would get 2000 stations for hydrogen, "says von Rittmar Helmolt.

If hydrogen gas today costs 15 Euros per kilo at the filling station, it can cost 10 Euros per kg in 2015, 6.6 per kg in 2020 and EUR 5 per kg 2030th. The major advantage of hydrogen as an energy carrier is that it can be produced with solar and wind energy in favorable circumstances, and then stored in the caverns until use. Thus, the fuel cell to meet future demands for full political fossil-free fuels and customer demand for simple and flexible fuel management.