General Motors
From left Mark Reuss GM Executive Vice President Global Product Development Brian Calley Michigan Lt Governor and Toshiaki Mikoshiba Honda CEO North American Region and President Honda North America announce a manufacturing joint venture to mass produce an advanced hydrogen fuel cell system

GM, Honda Announce Joint Venture on Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology

Jan. 30, 2017
Mass production of fuel cell systems is expected to begin around 2020 at GM's Brownstown, Mich., battery pack manufacturing facility.

General Motors and Honda on Monday announced they are establishing a joint venture intended to bring costs down on advanced hydrogen fuel cell systems, so they can mass produce them for their vehicles.

Fuel Cell System Manufacturing, LLC will operate within GM’s existing battery pack manufacturing facility site in Brownstown, Mich., south of Detroit. Mass production of fuel cell systems is expected to begin around 2020 and create 100 jobs.

The companies are making equal investments totaling $85 million in the joint venture.

Since July 2013, Honda and GM have been working together through a master collaboration agreement. Under the collaboration, the companies integrated their development teams for next-generation fuel cell systems and hydrogen storage, and will now share hydrogen fuel cell intellectual property.

GM and Honda have more than 2,220 fuel cell patents between them, ranking No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, in total fuel cell patents filed between 2002 through 2015, according to a press release.

Toshiaki Mikoshiba, president of Honda North America, Inc, said in a statement that each company will bring its “unique expertise” to create “a compact and low-cost next-gen fuel cell system.”

The Fuel Cell System Manufacturing (FCSM) joint venture will be operated by a board of directors consisting of three executives from each company that will include a rotating chairperson. In addition, a president will be appointed to rotate between each company.

Fuel cell vehicles can operate on hydrogen made from renewable sources such as wind and biomass. Water vapor is the only emission from fuel cell vehicles. 

In addition to advancing the performance of the fuel cell system, GM and Honda said they plan to work together to reduce the cost of development and manufacturing through economies of scale and common sourcing.

“Precious metals have been reduced dramatically and a fully cross-functional team is developing advanced manufacturing processes simultaneously with advances in the design,” said Charlie Freese, GM executive director of Global Fuel Cell Business, in a statement. “The result is a lower-cost system that is a fraction of the size and mass.”

The companies say they are also working with governments and other stakeholders, with the intent of “advancing the refueling infrastructure that is critical for the long-term viability and consumer acceptance of fuel cell vehicles.”

Honda began delivery of its Clarity Fuel Cell vehicle to U.S. customers in December 2016, following a spring 2016 launch in Japan. It has a driving range of 366 miles and fuel economy rating of 68 mpg.

This isn’t the first time the two companies have collaborated on powertrain development. GM and Honda collaborated in a powertrain cross-supply arrangement in 1999. Honda manufactured 50,000 V-6 engines for the Saturn VUE and Honda received diesel engines from GM’s Isuzu affiliate for use in Europe.  

About the Author

Laura Putre | Senior Editor, IndustryWeek

As senior editor, Laura Putre works with IndustryWeek's editorial contributors and reports on leadership and the automotive industry as they relate to manufacturing. She joined IndustryWeek in 2015 as a staff writer covering workforce issues. 

Prior to IndustryWeek, Laura reported on the healthcare industry and covered local news. She was the editor of the Chicago Journal and a staff writer for Cleveland Scene. Her national bylines include The Guardian, Slate, Pacific-Standard and The Root. 

Laura was a National Press Foundation fellow in 2022.

Got a story idea? Reach out to Laura at [email protected]

 

Sponsored Recommendations

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!