July 17 th 2002
3 Japanese, 2 foreign carmakers to launch fuel-cell car test
Source:Kyodo News
TOKYO, -- Three Japanese and two foreign automakers will launch a joint test on Japanese roads for fuel-cell motor vehicles, the Japan Electric Vehicle Association said Wednesday.
The Japanese firms are Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co., and the foreign firms are German carmaker DaimlerChrysler AG and U.S. automaker General Motors Corp.
The test is intended to assess the effectiveness, environmental friendliness and safety of fuel-cell motor vehicle projects, the association said.
The joint test will be sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and last for three years through the end of March 2005.
There are several types of fuel-cell motor vehicles, such as those powered by hydrogen itself or hydrogen generated from methanol or gasoline.
The planned test will also be joined by petroleum companies
and gas firms, which will set up five facilities in Tokyo and Yokohama
to provide hydrogen for the vehicles.
