Given the price of gas today, the nation's automotive future might very well be found in hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles.

Destiny USA has already pinned its future on alternative-fuel vehicles.

A Honda powered by a fuel cell, on display at the State Fair, was demonstrated to Destiny executives Friday.

A fuel cell creates an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to convert chemical energy into electricity to power the vehicle. The byproduct of the chemical reaction is water; there are no harmful emissions, according to Honda's Web site.

Destiny officials said much of the construction work involving an expanded Carousel Center will include alternative-fuel vehicles. For example, heavy equipment powered by biodiesel will be used during construction of the mall expansion, said Bruce Kenan, a partner in Destiny. A biodiesel filling station is in place on Solar Street.

A small fleet of alternative-fuel cars already are used to pick up Destiny visitors at the airport and run errands. The fleet includes two Toyota Prius hybrid sedans, a Ford Escape hybrid sport utility and a Volkswagen Touareg converted to run on biodiesel.

Destiny executive David Aitken said the fleet will be expanded as time goes by, and it will be expanded with as many types of available alternative-fuel vehicles.

But a fuel-cell car is not likely to join the fleet any time soon.

The vehicles are scarce, expensive and difficult to refuel, said Barry Carr, an AFC consultant for Homeland Energy Resources Development, which is working on behalf of American Honda.

Carr told Destiny executives Friday the fuel-cell Honda is one of only 18 in the world and is worth about $2 million.

Filling the fuel cell, which holds in hydrogen the equivalent of 3.75 gallons of gas, is a challenge. The only fuel-cell filling stations are on the State Thruway. The Honda FCX has a range of 160 miles.

Joseph Barry, facilitator of Clean Communities of Central New York, said he hopes to win a $200,000 Clean Cities grant for construction of a hydrogen filling station.

Once the infrastructure is in place, fuel-cell vehicles could begin to be produced in large numbers and the price would come down, Carr said. But that could take 15 to 20 years, he said.

Kenan, however, speculated that the high price of gas may speed up development of the technology.

"When you fall out of a boat, you're suddenly very focused on what you have to do. The price of gas has our attention now," Kenan said.

Lawrence D'Arco, of the state Department of Environmental Conservation, said the car has generated a lot of discussion at the State Fair.

"People are very interested and they ask a lot of questions," he said.

It's that kind of interest that builds momentum toward a goal, Kenan said.

"We intend to use Destiny as a bully pulpit to get to develop the momentum on alternative energy sources," he said.