General Motors has started testing its HydroGen4 zero-emission vehicles in Berlin with nine companies taking on the cars to test.

The real-world road test will run under the umbrella of the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP), a German Federal Department for Transport, Building and Urban Development funded project focused on proving the day-to-day use of hydrogen as a fuel for road transport.

Carl-Peter Forster, GM Europe president, said: “We are delighted that these high profile business partners have joined us as we take zero emission fuel cell technology forward with the HydroGen4 programme.”

The HydroGen4’s fuel cell stack uses 440 single cells which combine hydrogen and oxygen from the air to produce electricity, with water vapour as the only by-product.

The fuel cell stack provides the electric energy for the 73kW-synchronous electric motor, delivering acceleration of 0-62mph in around 12 seconds and a top speed of 100mph. It has a range of up to 200 miles.