Honda and General Motors (GM) announced cooperation to produce hydrogen fuel engines in the United States. They formed Fuel Cell System Manufacturing (FCSM), LLC.
This hydrogen fueled power unit has superior durability because it uses materials that are highly corrosion resistant and resistant to low temperatures. This system will be used in hydrogen fuel vehicles (FCEV) which Honda will launch in 2024.
Honda and GM have taken various approaches to reduce development and production costs. Among these are a significant reduction in the use of precious metals, increasing economies of scale through large production and standardizing sources of spare parts procurement. With the various efforts that have been made, the cost of the material cell system has been reduced to one third of the total cost.
FCSM was founded in January 2017. It is the first cooperative company in the automotive industry to focus on the production of advanced fuel cell systems. The GM battery manufacturing factory has a total investment of $85 million and was built on a 6,503 m2 land area in Brownstown, Michigan, United States.
Honda Collaborates With GM
“This start of production marks an important milestone for GM and Honda in our efforts to make transportation and other energy needs carbon neutral. Everyone at FCSM works as ‘one team’ with the mission of providing affordable hydrogen fuel cell systems to our customers,” said Suheb Haq, FCSM President.
FCSM Vice President Tetsuo Suzuki added that his party had created a powerful production system that integrated the strengths of Honda and GM.
“We have realized a high-quality mass production system that pays attention to detail, and strives to utilize hydrogen fuel cell technology in the future and the beginning of the hydrogen era. We are ready to meet your needs,” he said.
Since 2013, Honda and GM have been working together on the development of fuel cell systems with the goal of producing a more practical and low-cost system to expand their use and utility in the future.
Honda has a goal of achieving carbon neutrality through all of the company’s products and activities by 2050. This effort includes not only products, but also their entire life cycle, including company activities related to clean energy and resource circulation. Hydrogen is positioned as a promising energy carrier along with electricity. Honda has been conducting research and development on hydrogen and FCEV technology for more than 30 years.
