Johnson Matthey's fuel cell technology program is funded by a £3.2 million grant from the Department of Trade and Industry. The project is focused on the development of renewable resources in the automotive industry, and in building a world-class fuel cell industry in the UK. The aim is to achieve higher efficiency and improved lifetime, yet lower production costs that could help developers meet the challenging cost and weight targets for fuel cells in large-scale automotive applications.

Jack Frost, head of Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells, said, "The membrane electrode assembly is the component at the heart of the proton-exchange membrane fuel cell. Developing the catalyst and materials technology embodied in this critical component is the key to making fuel cell cars a commercial reality."