Lancaster bomber: Paul Lancaster, vice president of finance, Ballard, defends the future of fuel-cell vehicles - they will be profitable

摘要

The last few years have made the global automotive industry look like a battleground, with only the fittest outfits surviving today's tough economic climate - big fish OEMs have all but swallowed up the plankton that were the smaller automakers. But throughout all the fighting, one of the most important races in auto history has been taking place: the development of fuel-cell technology. And now there's a general consensus that the race is entering its most crucial phase to date. "Some auto companies have already announced they're going to put their first fleet trials in the hands of customers at the end of this year," says Paul Lancaster, vice president of finance for Ballard, the Canadian fuel-cell developer closely linked to both DC and Ford.