Engineering Lessons Learned

- Be versatile. Early fuel cell development favors engineers with multidisciplinary skills in fields including electrical, chemical, and automotive.

- Persistence pays off. Turning the fuel cell into a viable contender to power automobiles took decades of work with little initial reward.

- Keep an open mind. While millions has poured into developing batteries, most engineers overlooked the fuel cell, which offered far greater performance potential.

- One step at a time. Don't try to force consumers to make several large changes in their habits. Experts say that the potential to use gasoline or methanol will be key to the fuel cell's success. Completely altering the drivetrain and requiring a new fuel infrastructure would almost certainly kill the fuel cell's chances.