Includes bibliographical references and index.

Why hydrogen? why now? -- Fuel cell basics -- The path to commercialization -- Hydrogen production -- Key elements of a hydrogen-based transportation system -- The long road to commercialization of fuel-cell vehicles -- Global warming and scenarios for a hydrogen transition -- Coping with the global warming century -- Hydrogen partnerships and pilots -- Choosing our future. This explanation of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies takes a hard look at the practical difficulties of transitioning to a hydrogen economy and reveals why neither government policy nor business investment should be based on the belief that hydrogen cars will have meaningful commercial success in the near or medium term.