The Opel fuel cell marathon has reached a successful conclusion near Lisbon, Portugal, with one of the vehicles involved securing a record distance for the hydrogen powered transport.

The marathon, which finished 38 days after the race began in Hammerfest, saw the vehicles journey a distance of almost 10,000 kilometres through 14 countries.

The HydroGen3 vehicle that arrived at Cabo da Roca, near the Portuguese capital, doubled the previous distance record for fuel cell vehicles, offering encouraging signs of the roadworthiness and stamina of fuel cell technology.

This doubled the previous distance record for fuel cell vehicles, offering proof of the roadworthiness and stamina of the pioneering fuel cell technology.

Dr Udo Winter, chief engineer of GM Fuel Cell Activities, said he was particularly pleased that the Opel Zafira prototype had no unscheduled stops during the marathon for repair,

"The long-distance drive went very smoothly indeed," he told Fuel Cells Works.

"It shows that the level of reliability attained by the Fuel Cell propulsion system in the HydroGen3 is already very high. We have also gained a lot of new findings from the tough day-to-day preparation schedule," he added.

Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells used in these vehicles produce electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen over a platinum catalyst.