THE CAR INDUSTRY
Perhaps the next major application for the fuel cell at the moment is to find in the car industry. Almost all the constructors have made researches for a long time now in this domain and now most of them have released or are about to release new car propelled by a fuel cell system.

Chrysler (http://www.daimlerchrysler.de)
The "First Driveable Fuel Cell Technology Car in the U.S." is called the NECAR 4 and has been released by Daimler-Chrysler in march 1999.

Compared to a battery-powered vehicle, this car has 40 % increase in power and up to three times the same range. The Necar reaches top speeds of 90 mph and can travel nearly 280 miles (450 km) before refueling. DaimlerChrysler plans to have fuel cell vehicles in limited production by 2004. The company will invest more than $1.4 billiono n fuel cell technology development by the time the first fuel cell vehicles come to market.
«The NECAR 4 is powered by liquid hydrogen stored in a cryogenic cylinder. The fuel is then processed by a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC). Inside the PEMFC, a platinum-coated membrane separates hydrogen into protons and electrons and combines them with oxygen in the air to form water. This surplus and deficit of electrons and protons creates positive and negative terminals that, when connected, produce the electricity.»

Toyota (http://www.toyota.ca)
Toyota is developing a fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) in nort America. This one hasn't yet reach the development phase but you can find any explanations about it on the canadian website. On www.toyota.com we can read: «the energy conversion efficiency of the FCEV’s fuel cell system is over 60 percent, two to three times that of gasoline engines.»

Renault (http://www.renault.com)
Along with other european partners, Renault launched in 1994 the FEVER project. This project was aimed at gaining an understanding of the integration and use of a fuel cell to power a vehicle. This was important knowledge for Renault and its partners, who brought the FEVER programme to a successful conclusion in June 1998 with the presentation of an experimental demonstrator [...]. This fuel cell demonstrator is a "zero emission" vehicle with a range of 400 km.
The 135 elements in the FEVER cell thus develop a power of 30 kW at a voltage of 90 V. Rather than seeking pure performance, the development of this cell included in its objectives considerations of manufacturing viability. A transformer then increases the output voltage to 250 V. The special design of this transformer has among other things allowed it to achieve an efficiency of 92 % throughout most of its operating range. More info on the Fever project.

Peugeot (http://www.peugeot.com and http://www.psa.fr)
Peugeot launch another projet (Hydro-Gen) in 1996 wich should gave birth very soon to another hydrogen-air fuel cell propeled vehicle. The performances of this vehicle are to be at least the same of a diesel vehicle, with a 30 kW battery and a range of 300 km.

FUEL CELLS IN SPACE AND UNDER WATER
The fuel cells are also highly valuable for submarines as they are silent and generate very little heat. Boats also can make profit of their use.

But we musn't forget that at first the fuel cells have been designed to be used in the space industry. Their are used as independant energy sources in satellites and also provided the energy for habitated flight like Gemini and Appolo.
At the present time submarines are either powered by a combination of diesel electric generation and large storage batteries or by nuclear power, via thermal and electrical energy convertion. A low temperature hydrogen-oxygen fuel battery system would be a good replacement for the first of these varieties and calculations have shown that such submarines would have an operating time up to thirty times greater than the conventional battery powered vessels, largely because of better space utilisation.
There would be no problem of noise, or of pollution, and several size of installation can be envisaged. For such essentially military application the economic considerations are clearly irrevelant...

MANUFACTURING FUEL CELLS
The fuell cell industry is becoming more and more important each year and will have an even accrude importance in the decenies to come. Many enterprises are specialised into the design and making of fuel cells, some of them even focus on certain particular types of fuel cells.

Fuel Cell Technologies Ltd
(http://www.fuelcell.kosone.com)
«Fuel Cell Technologies Ltd. designs, develops, and manufactures a wide range of fuel cell and metal-air semi-fuel cell systems and components.
They design an aluminum-oxygen semi-fuel cell for underwater vehicles, in particular remote-controled submarines. This fuel cell has the particularity to be air-independant: the oxygen is stored in a high-pressure container. The range of the vehicles reaches 300 km and the cell develops 2.3 kW. FCT also produces rechargeable Zn-Air batteries with high energy density (up to 250 Wh/kg) which applications are power sources for portable civilian and military equipment.

Ballard (http://www.ballard.com)
Ballard Power Systems is one of the main players in developing, manufacturing and marketing zero-emission proton exchange membrane fuel cells for use in transportation, electricity generation, portable power and other products. This site offers a very clear description of the fuel cell with an animation.

Fuel Cell Power Association
(http://www.advocatesinc.com/fcpa)
The Fuel Cell Power Association (FCPA) promotes the interests of the fuel cell industry by educating the government and public on the societal benefits of highly efficient, clean fuel cell power. Qualities for the Future
Hydrogen fuel cells have a high energy conversion efficiency, much better than conventional internal combustion of gasoline in automobiles. Vehicles that use hydrogen fuel cells are known as "zero emission" vehicles because they do not produce harmful pollutants and noise that are detrimental to our health and the environment. Fuel cells that run on hydrogen can run indefinately. As long as hydrogen and oxygen are available, fuel cells do not require maintenance.

OTHER WEB SITES

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Letter monthly up-dated informations on fuell cells developpment and applications.
California Fuel Cell Partnership
Energy Partners 'a fuel cell introduction'.
What is a fuel cell ? a one-page description.
How a fuel cell operates
The Inner Workings of Fuel Cells simple well-designed page about fuel cells.
National Fuel Cell Research Center
European Fuel Cell Group Ltd
US Fuel Cell Council
PCS Fuel Cell Systems for space, terrestrial, and military applications.
Fuel Cell Demonstration Project fuel cells & environment.
Fuel Cell Commercialization group commercializing carbonate fuel cells for power generation.
Fuel Cell World Communication centre for fuel cell commercialisation activity worldwide.
ElectroChem, Inc. 'Fuel Cells: Energy for a Clean Planet.'
Towards an European fuel cell strategy
National Hydrogen Association