Honda will start producing a new hydrogen fuel cell system co-developed with GM

TOKYO, Feb 2 (Reuters) – Japan’s Honda Motor Co (7267.T) said it would start producing a new hydrogen fuel cell system jointly developed with General Motors Co (GM.N) this year and increase gradually its sales this decade, into an offer to develop its hydrogen activity.

Honda will target annual sales of around 2,000 units of the new system by the middle of this decade, the company said Thursday, aiming to increase that figure to 60,000 units per year by 2030.

The Japanese automaker is looking to expand the use of its new system not only for its own fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), but also for utility vehicles such as heavy trucks, stationary power plants and construction machinery.

.Honda will start production of the hydrogen fuel cell system through its joint venture with GM this year, Honda Senior Managing Director Shinji Aoyama told reporters at a company event in Tokyo.

With the “next generation” system, the company aims to more than double the durability compared to its previous fuel cell system and cut costs by two-thirds.

“As commercial vehicles are used all over the world, they will likely see electrification like passenger cars,” said Tetsuya Hasebe, general manager of Honda’s hydrogen business development division.

This would likely lead to a discrepancy between trucks using batteries and those running on fuel cells, he added.Reporting by Daniel Leussink; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim and Jamie Freed

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