Frankfurt (TGW) - Mercedes-Benz will begin limited serial production within three years of a small car powered by a zero-emissions hydrogen fuel cell, the company said yesterday.



Production of the B-Class F-Cell will begin in early 2010, the carmaker said at a car show in Frankfurt.



It is still deciding how to market the car, said Thomas Weber, the group's research head and development chief at Mercedes.

"We will have this auto at the starting line and bring it to market at whatever conditions (we determine). We will certainly not be able to sell it in normal showrooms," he told Reuters.



"A fuel cell car will be far removed from the cost position of a traditional car in 2010, but it is emissions free, it goes 400 km (240 miles), it has sensational acceleration from 0 to 100 (km/hour) and it consumes less than the equivalent of three liters" of diesel fuel per 100 km driven, he added.



The car's top output will be 136 horsepower, and will be on par with a two-liter petrol engine.



Commercially available cars have been a goal for years, but costs have held the goal back.



DaimlerChrysler, the company which owns Mercedes-Benz, is a market leader in hydrogen fuel cell cars; they have 100 fuel cell vehicles on the streets already.



Rival BMW has already leases hydrogen powered cars.



Via :: Reuters (photo credit)