Honda’s dreams come true

Future historians will record last week as the moment the car world changed decisively. Honda's announcement at the Tokyo Motor Show that they will start production next year of the world's first hydrogen fuel cell car is an occasion when you can actually witness the future arriving at warp speed.

Twenty years ago, car industry experts dismissed the possibility that fuel cell technology might ever be capable of powering production cars (too heavy, too expensive). Even five years ago, they were claiming that it couldn't happen before 2020.

Last year, BMW produced 100 absolutely free of noxious hydrogen-powered versions of their luxury 7 Series but those were essentially show cars for propaganda purposes.

No major manufacturer had expected that one of their rivals would have such a car on sale to the public before 2010.

Fuel cells generate electric power through a process akin to the electrolysis which everybody studied in the school laboratory. The procedure is silent and