GM-Honda JV Begin Hydrogen Fuel Cell Production

(RTTNews) - General Motors Company (GM) and Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (HMC) have taken an important step towards providing alternative zero-emissions solutions beyond battery-electric vehicles by initiating the commercial production of hydrogen fuel cell systems.

This move is aimed at addressing the environmental impact of traditional gasoline-powered vehicles and finding more sustainable solutions.

The Fuel Cell System Manufacturing (FCSM), which is a joint venture between GM and Honda, has been built with an impressive $85 million investment.

The FCSM has commenced the production of hydrogen fuel cells at its 70,000-square-foot facility in Brownstown, Michigan. It is worth noting that this facility currently manufactures battery packs for the GMC Hummer EV and Cadillac Lyriq, which means that it has the necessary infrastructure to produce sustainable energy solutions on a large scale.

According to FCSM Vice President Tetsuo Suzuki, "We integrated the strengths of Honda and GM to create the most capable production system at this joint venture," marking it as the first full-scale manufacturing facility for automotive hydrogen fuel cells. This is a significant milestone in the development of sustainable energy solutions for the automotive industry."

The fuel cell systems produced at the FCSM are expected to be used in various product applications. Honda plans to incorporate them into its all-new CR-V fuel cell electric vehicle, which is set to be sold in California, where hydrogen fueling stations already exist. Honda also plans to market the fuel cells for commercial vehicles, stationary power stations, and construction machinery.

Furthermore, Honda aims to achieve initial sales of 2,000 units per year by mid-decade, with expectations to sell approximately 2,000 units annually by 2025 and increase to 60,000 units by 2030. This highlights the company's commitment to investing in sustainable energy solutions and promoting the use of hydrogen fuel cells in the automotive industry.

GM has not disclosed its production or sales expectations for the fuel cell system. However, it has expressed readiness to scale production as needed, which is a sign that the partnership between GM and Honda is committed to delivering sustainable energy solutions to the market.