According to a new report published by Pike Research, several of the major global automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have established aggressive programs to develop a commercial fuel cell vehicle (FCV) as a part of their suite of sustainable vehicles, while others have pulled back. At the same time, a few new players have entered the arena, with the potential to disrupt the market.
‘Automakers will continue to refine their products between now and the 2014/2015 deadline for commercial launch,’ says senior analyst Lisa Jerram. ‘In order to meet this target, the OEMs must continue to test and refine their fuel cell systems, as well as the vehicle integration and optimization. They will also be focused on driving down vehicle costs.’
Pike Research notes that Daimler attained the highest overall score in its Pike Pulse report, as it has laid out a clear path to producing a commercially viable FCV. Other contributing factors include the company's strong relationships with infrastructure and government partners and its recent announcement to partner with Linde on infrastructure development.
Honda is the runner-up in Pike Research's analysis, based on the high-quality execution of its FCV, the Clarity, its efforts to lay the groundwork for a commercial launch, and its continued public commitment to FCV commercialization.
