GM has had a long-standing tradition with fuel cell advancement that started in 1964 and continues through today. In 1968 General Motors produced the auto industry's first operational fuel cell-powered vehicle [dwe]. .
The effectiveness of fuel cell technology has risen ten-fold in the past five years, yielding higher capacities, longer run times, and more efficient electrical engines. Also, with more features and accessories being installed, such as larger sound systems, radar & ultrasonic rear detection, heads-up displays (HUD), and interactive touch screen menus, into automobiles the electrical demand is steadily rising. In contrast to gasoline motors, an electrical motor uses all the power delivered to it; any excess power is directed back to the power source or to another electrical component. Electrical motors are high-quality components and produce little or no noise. Include noise db level. There are no wastes or consumables expelled from an electrical motor. There are two excess effects from the electric motor, the first, heat generated by the motor. The second is surplus power delivered to the motor that was not used during operation. .
In recent years the automobile industry has been alerted by environmental groups and government agencies for producing cars and trucks that consume fuel at an alarming rate. The United States consumed 19.7 million barrels of oil per day in the year 2000 [ocy]. Even though not all the barrels of oil were converted to gasoline, it doe s include heating oil and plastics manufacturing. Reducing the fuel consumption by any amount would further liberate the United States from oil-laden countries. This problem affects automobiles across the board and more so in highly populated urban areas. Cities such as Boston, New York, and Los Angeles are blanketed in smog and greenhouse gases from the exhaust of automobiles. .
While carpooling and mass transit alleviate traffic congestion, they do not address the fact that cars are producing dangerous levels of poisonous gas.