GM, Honda Start Production at Hydrogen Fuel Cell JV

By Will Feuer

General Motors and Honda said they have started commercial production of hydrogen fuel cell systems at their joint venture in Brownstown, Mich.

The automakers established the 50-50 JV, called Fuel Cell System Manufacturing, in 2017 with a joint investment of $85 million. The companies said the facility has created 80 jobs.

When the companies announced their plans for the facility, they said they expect to start production around 2020.

Car companies have been working for decades on fuel-cell technology, but only a few models are available in the U.S. and sell in small numbers.

The technology offers advantages beyond zero emissions. Driving distance between refuelings can exceed 350 miles, beating many battery-electric vehicles and exceeding the range of many gas-powered cars. Refueling takes just a few minutes, while electric vehicles can take from 20 minutes to several hours to recharge.

However, steep prices and the cost of building hydrogen-fueling stations have prevented a widespread rollout.

Write to Will Feuer at Will.Feuer@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 25, 2024 09:57 ET (14:57 GMT)

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