Updated: General Motors is likely to have fuel-cell vehicles in showrooms by 2012, according to its vice president of R&D Larry Burns. "I don't know how many of them we'll make at the time, but we should have them in showrooms by early next decade, around 2011 or 2012," he said during an interview with Reuters reporters.

The challenge now is to develop cheaper lithium-ion batteries and build a suitable hydrogen fuel infrastructure. But before we see any high volume fuel-cell vehicles from GM, its Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid should enter production around 2009.

Original: General Motors has taken its Chevrolet Sequel fuel-cell vehicle more than 300 miles in a trip across public roads with just a single tank of hydrogen. Test-drivers started off at GM’s Fuel Cell Activity Center in New York and ended up in Tarrytown just outside of NYC.

GM said that the Sequel is the first vehicle in the world powered by a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system to travel more than 300 miles on public roads, adding that the hydrogen powering the car was produced with energy sourced from Niagara Falls.

The Sequel features a 125kW powerplant that drives all four wheels via individual hub motors at each wheel. The concept vehicle is fully street legal and meets all local safety regulations.

Honda recently unveiled its second-generation FCX concept that it claims has a range of 270 miles and a possible 354 miles when driven in economy mode. Just this week, it revealed that it would have a fuel-cell sedan ready for production next year.