Fiat Has Stopped Development on Hydrogen Fuel Cells

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has bucked the industry trend towards developing hydrogen fuel-cell cars as a long-term alternative to internal combustion engines by turning its back on the technology after three generations of development.

Fiat says that it has stopped development of hydrogen fuel cell powertrains and will instead focus on compressed natural gas for the near future. Fiat believes that unless there is a breakthrough in technology, fuel cells are not realistic. 

Fiat claims that given current technology fuel cells are short lived and unrealistic. The problem is that the platinum used as catalysts is expensive and has a short useful life. When factoring in the cost of the materials, it believes a diesel engine is actually more efficient. 

Instead, Fiat will focus on compressed natural gas for its cars because of their low emissions and relative technological simplicity. There has also been a recent boom in natural gas that has caused prices to fall. Because many homes are heated with gas, it would be theoretically possible for people to install home fueling stations and fill up their cars from there. 

Fiat's 0.9 TwinAir Turbo bi-fuel CNG engine just won the Green Engine of the Year Award in the International Engine of the Year Awards

Source: Autocar