Where are our fuel cell cars?

Fuel cells are the dream power source for vehicles: they can use hydrogen and oxygen as fuel and oxidizer, respectively, and produce only electricity and water (plus a little heat). Compared to battery-powered electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles offer higher energy density, which leads to greater range and lower weight. Sure, they have their downsides—such as requiring a complete hydrogen infrastructure à la oil pipelines and fueling stations—but batteries vs. fuel cells is a debate for another day (and story).

The first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (General Motors/Chevy Electrovan) was created in 1966. Researchers have been developing proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells for past 15 years. So why don’t we see any in cars on the road? In a word: catalysts. Despite intense development, catalysts used in PEM fuel cells haven’t reached the levels of performance, lifetime, or cost to be commercially viable. In a recent issue of Nature, Mark Debe, senior scientist in the Fuel Cell Components Program at 3M, summed up the recent progress and prospects for fuel cell catalysts, including potential manufacturing issues.

The basics
First off, what is a catalyst? How does a fuel cell even work? What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow? (African or European?) One question at a time, please.

In brief, a fuel cell directly converts the chemical energy locked in a fuel (like hydrogen) into electricity though a reaction with an oxidizer (typically, oxygen). All fuel cells consist of an anode, cathode, and electrolyte, which classifies the type of fuel cell (for example, in a PEM fuel cell, the PEM is the electrolyte) and allows the charges to move between the anode and cathode.

http://arstechnica.com/science/2012/06/where-are-our-fuel-cell-cars/