The US National Research Council of the National Academies (NRC) has stated that a new fuel cell development programme offers "potentially enormous" benefits to the US.

The FreedomCar and Fuel Partnership has been formed to advance hydrogen transportation technologies in order to provide a "clean and sustainable transportation and energy future".

Its partners include the US Department of Energy (DOE), United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR) and five major energy companies.

According to a new report from the NRC, the programme is on track to achieve its targets.

It also states that the partnership has made "significant progress" in areas such as hydrogen fuel cell development, high-energy battery and electrical systems and advanced internal combustion engines and emissions controls.

Bill Gouse, executive director of USCAR, highlighted an example of the programme's positive contribution: "The DOE Hydrogen Fuel Cell Demonstration and Validation Program, along with the significant financial investments of all the participants, is evidence of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership's commitment and leadership."

He added: "We appreciate the NRC's thorough review of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership, and along with our partners, are evaluating and considering all of their recommendations as we go forward."

The news comes as some of the world's leading automotive manufacturers announced plans for a tie-in on fuel cell production, with Honda, GM and BMW all pooling resources.