Alternative Fuel in The Home Of The Car

The Sacramento Bee reported that The California Fuel Cell Partnership hosted a one-day "Technology Forum" at its fueling facility at 3300 Industrial Blvd. -- an event designed to reach out to suppliers and promote exchanges of technical data. It also gave a pretty fair glimpse of the possibilities for hybrid-fuel vehicles that could be seen on Golden State roadways in the not-too-distant future.

The forum included a Freightliner truck outfitted with fuel cells to convert hydrogen to electricity, fuel cells small enough to hold in the palm of your hand and a head-turning Jeep Commander 2 sport-utility vehicle concept that produces nearly zero emissions.

The Jeep combined aggressive exterior styling and a gleaming, luxurious interior. The Commander 2's fuel cell is mated to front and rear electric motors. The cell is fueled by hydrogen from an on-board methanol reformer. Supplemental power for hard acceleration is provided by a nickel-metal-hydride battery.

Inside, the Commander 2 features a pop-up laptop computer docked in the center console. The driver can use voice commands for various in-vehicle chores.

DaimlerChrysler, maker of the Jeep Commander 2 concept, has joined Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan and Volkswagen in the joint venture with fuel cell developers Ballard Power Systems and International Fuel Cells, oil refiners and government agencies in quest of viable fuel-cell vehicles.