Daimler and Honda Top Light-Duty Fuel Cell Developments

The automotive industry is making efforts to bring us the transportation means of tomorrow, with one of the most promising, and difficult, pathways being that of hydrogen use. A recent Pike Pulse report, which has been published by Pike Research, shows that the two top players in terms of the fuel cell vehicle (FCV) development are Daimler and Honda. This only comes to confirm previous reports and adds that the general interest of the industry for this segment has increased.

"Automakers will continue to refine their products between now and the 2014/2015 deadline for commercial launch," said senior analyst Lisa Jerram. "In order to meet this target, the OEMs must continue to test and refine their fuel cell systems as well as the vehicle integration and optimization. They will also be focused on driving down vehicle costs."

Daimler managed to obtain the highest overall score in the Pike Pulse report, thanks to the fact that it has presented a clear path to producing a commercially viable FCV, but the report point put that the company has disappointed in the past on maters concerning hydrogen.

“However, Daimler has made ambitious announcements on fuel cell technology readiness in the past, and these did not come to fruition. The company recently moved up its target date to 2014 from 2015. If its proclaimed dates begin to slip, Daimler's position could quickly change,” the report states.

Honda follows the German company, with the Japanese carmaker impressing through its FCV, the FCX Clarity, as well as its efforts to launch this vehicle.