Other Intelligent Energy world's firsts in recent years include the development of the world's first hydrogen fuelcell motorbike and supplying the fuelcellsystem to Boeing which powered the world's first manned fuelcell aircraft.
Earlier this month, Daimler, Ford and Nissan re-upped their commitment to the lead-off batter for the Periodic Table of the Elements by announcing a pact to develop a common fuelcellsystem that could lead to affordable fuelcell cars by 2017.
Other projects being funded this year include an effort to develop a smaller, less costly and more durable fuelcell power system that will enable commercialization of U.S. fuelcell buses, and an effort to develop and demonstrate a lightweight highly efficient bus that incorporates an improved hybrid-electric drive and enhanced bus design.