A road trip to highlight fuel cell cars gets underway this morning in Chula Vista. KPBS Environment Reporter Ed Joyce says the nine-day trek to Canada gives people a chance to drive or ride in the zero emission vehicles.
It's called The Hydrogen Road Tour.
Seven automakers will drive 12 high-tech fuel cell cars and SUVs from Chula Vista to Vancouver, B.C.
They'll stop at hydrogen stations or use a mobile refueler.
Catherine Dunwoody is the Executive Director of the California Fuel Cell Partnership.
She says the vehicles make their own electricity from hydrogen stored in a fuel tank.
"And the point really is to raise awareness about fuel celled vehicles and hydrogen, their benefits both to energy efficiency and the environment as well as to consumers because we really believe these vehicles are going to be a market winner," Dunwoody says.
Dunwoody says the group is hoping to put 50,000 Californians behind the wheel of the zero-emission vehicles by 2017.
She says the high-tech cars are one way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help end the country's dependency on imported oil.
Ed Joyce, KPBS News.
