posted 10-09-2002 11:16 AM         

The Associated Press

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (October 8, 2002 7:12 p.m. EDT) - DaimlerChrysler AG announced Tuesday that it will offer the world's first fleet of fuel cell passenger cars in the United States and Europe in 2003.

The vehicles, based on the compact Mercedes-Benz A-Class, will be called the "F-Cell." DaimlerChrysler says they won't produce any smog or greenhouse gas emissions.

About 60 will be available for government fleets in Europe and United States to see how they operate under typical conditions.

"The hydrogen-powered F-Cell cars are genuine zero-emission vehicles which have left the research stage and are now going to field testing," said Ferdinand Panik, head of fuel cell development at DaimlerChrysler.

The fuel cell runs on hydrogen, which is combined with oxygen from the air in a chemical reaction that produces electricity. Before fuel cell vehicles can be widely marketed, a hydrogen fueling system needs to be developed and the cost of the technology needs to be reduced.