Nissan Motor Co. and Renault SA announced plans to jointly develop fuel-cell powered cars using gasoline-based fuel cells, reports Associated Press. Nissan and Renault, which own a 36.8 percent share of the Japanese automaker, are following the lead of most car manufacturers in selecting petroleum, which is expected to become the American standard because of the available distribution infrastructure. Fuel-cell development is prompted by worldwide air-quality regulation to address pollution and global warming due to greenhouse gases. Fuel cells extract hydrogen from a liquid fuel such as gasoline or methanol and combine it in a chemical reaction with oxygen from the air to create electricity and heat, while giving off only water vapor as a byproduct. General Motors and Toyota previously announced an alliance with ExxonMobil Corp. to develop the technology for gas-powered fuel-cell cars.