From CNBC:

General Motors and Honda have started commercial production of hydrogen fuel cell systems as a step towards zero-emission solutions beyond battery-electric vehicles in a $85 million facility in Detroit. These fuel cell systems are also considered to be suitable replacements for diesel fuel in heavy-duty trucks and generators.

The automakers’ joint venture, called the Fuel Cell System Manufacturing LLC, marks a historic moment for the automotive industry. It comes at a time of tightening emissions regulations, technological improvements, and heightened attention on ESG efforts, according to officials.

Honda’s hydrogen fuel cell system will be introduced in a vehicle this year, while GM will use it for backup power stations and large trucks. Honda expects to sell 2,000 units annually by 2025, followed by 60,000 units in 2030, and a few hundred thousand units per year by the second half of the 2030s.

GM views fuel cells as supplemental to its plans for battery-electric vehicles. Fuel cell vehicles and equipment operate similarly to battery-electric ones, but are powered by electricity generated from hydrogen and oxygen. However, they face challenges such as consumer acceptance, infrastructure, and cost. Critics like Elon Musk have labeled fuel cells as “fool cells” and “mind-bogglingly stupid.”



Read more: GM, Honda begin U.S. fuel cell production toward replacing diesel