PSA Peugeot Citroen has unveiled the smallest fuel cell that is currently available for cars.

The French car manufacturer claims the 80-kilowatt Genepac fuel cell can run for 310 miles and is far smaller than previous fuel cells at 57 litres.

"This technology is still at its early stages but offers a real answer for the future," PSA chairman Jean-Marie Folz told a press conference.

He also stressed the company would invest in further research in a bid to cut the price of fuel cells in half by 2010.

Mr Folz took the opportunity to condemn the current programme of hybrid petrol-electric vehicles which he claims "serve no interest whatsoever in industrialized countries" because they still use more fuel than conventional diesel engines.

Experts believe that despite the Genepac's greatly reduced size, it is still too large to be used in a small passenger car.


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