Imagine a world where gas is obsolete as fuel for vehicles, where not a single car emits carbon dioxide.  What sounds like science fiction could be a reality sooner than you think. Earlier this month, General Motors and Honda announced a partnership to develop a hydrogen fuel cell. Both companies have been working independently on fuel cell technology for decades and hope to reduce costs and share resources with this new agreement. What does this mean for you? Should automakers successfully introduce hydrogen-powered cars to the market, they could be flooding the streets as early as 2020. You could be the owner of a cleaner, cheaper and more fuel-efficient car by the time you have a family.

But what’s so great about fuel cells anyway? In addition to offering faster refueling times, a car powered by a fuel cell can drive just as far as a gasoline-powered vehicle but without the carbon footprint; the only byproduct is water vapor. The cell generates electricity by combining hydrogen from an internal tank with oxygen from the air. Development costs are high, however, thanks to the use of expensive materials needed to manage the chemical reaction.

With all the benefits of hydrogen-powered cars, you might be wondering why there aren’t more on the street today. The biggest issue is that hydrogen refueling stations are few and far in-between. The problem is a Catch-22; governments are hesitant to invest in refueling stations if no one owns a fuel cell car, but nobody wants to own a fuel cell car if they can’t refill their tank.  To that end, GM and Honda are keen on “work[ing] with state and local governments to expand the network of hydrogen refueling stations.” Honda has already started this process in Japan and America and a pilot program in California has been putting fuel cell vehicles on the road. The state has implemented various zero-emission vehicle requirements to take effect by 2018 and several other states are expected to follow suit within the next ten years. If all goes well, we’ll be one giant step closer to a cleaner environment. Welcome to the future.

What’s your take on the future of fuel cell technologies? What are the implications on international business? Voice your thoughts in the comments section below.

For more information on the partnership between GM and Honda and insight into fuel cell technology, check out these links:

Fuel Cell Cars Back In The Limelight As GM, Honda Team Up On Mission To Attack Costs

G.M. and Honda to Collaborate on Fuel-Cell Development

International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy Overview