The US Department of Energy's hydrogen learning demonstration project has been launched by vehicle producer DaimlerChrysler.

In an agreement with Inergy Automotive Systems, the manufacturer has become the first company to deliver a fuel cell vehicle to Michigan.

Inergy is to use the fuel cell vehicle on a daily basis as part of its efforts to discern more knowledge on the operational capabilities of fuel cell vehicle technology and its potential for the future of the automotive industry.

It is hoped that daily use of the fuel cell vehicle will yield more technical data to help develop and improve the next generation of fuel cell vehicles.

Mark Chernoby, vice president of advance vehicle engineering at the Chrysler Group, said that the delivery of the fuel cell vehicle represents the company's commitment to the development and improvement of fuel cell capabilities.

"DaimlerChrysler continues its mission to move zero-emission vehicles from the laboratory to the open road," he added.

The company currently manages the largest fleet of fuel cell vehicles in the world, and this latest project is designed to ensure that fuel cell vehicles become common place in the market in the future.