American Honda Motor yesterday delivered two Honda FCX hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles to the Mayor of San Francisco Gavin Newsom in a ceremony held at City Hall, bringing the total number of Honda fuel cell-powered cars on the road in the US and Japan to twelve.

The two Honda FCX cars will add to the city's fleet of more than 700 alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles, and will boost plans by city officials for the creation of a hydrogen-refuelling infrastructure to support the regular daily operation of such vehicles, according to Fuel Cell Today.

The Honda FCX model is the world's first commercial fuel cell vehicle, as well as the only fuel cell vehicle certified by the US EPA and California Air Resources Board (CARB) for every day commercial use.

Gunnar Lindstrom, senior manager for Alternative Fuel Vehicles of American Honda Motor, said: "San Francisco is demonstrating great environmental leadership and vision by leasing these two fuel cell vehicles. We are extremely pleased to have them as a customer for Honda fuel cell technology."

Honda first undertook fuel cell research in 1989 and has been road testing vehicles in the United States since 1999, when it became a member of the California Fuel Cell Partnership based in Sacramento.