SEATTLE --- Propel Fuels, a leading retailer of renewable fuels, on June 1 hosted Seattle's first Hydrogen Vehicle Show at its Downtown Seattle Clean Fuel Point station. 

As part of the 28-city Hydrogen Road Tour, the event previewed the latest in hydrogen fuel cell vehicle design and provided information on how fuel cells fit into the nation's future. 

Propel operates a network of Clean Fuel Points self-serve filling stations providing low-carbon fuels. 

"Propel's fueling platform delivers advanced low-carbon fuels, including biodiesel from waste stream feedstocks like recycled fats and oils, and locally grown marginal land crops like camelina," said Rob Elam, president and co-founder of Propel. "Our fueling platform has the forward flexibility to accommodate advanced fuels such as bio-methane, hydrogen and electric charging as these vehicle technologies gain momentum in the marketplace. Today's event shows how close these vehicles are to commercialization." 

Fuel cell vehicles from Daimler, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen were on display, and experts from these companies were on hand to answer questions from Propel customers and alternative fuel enthusiasts. 

Propel partnered with the California Fuel Cell Partnership, California Air Resources Board (CARB), National Hydrogen Association, US Fuel Cell Council and Powertech Labs to organize the event. 

"The Hydrogen Road Tour showcases the progress of hydrogen programs in the U.S. and Canada," said California Fuel Cell Partnership Executive Director Catherine Dunwoody. "These vehicles are comfortable, perform great, refuel in minutes and will travel the distance with zero tailpipe emissions, zero petroleum and greatly reduced greenhouse gases. Thousands of people will get a chance to try these vehicles for themselves." 

Fuel cell vehicles are electric vehicles that generate their electricity from hydrogen stored in a tank, instead of recharging from the grid. Fuel cells are also used in transit buses, forklifts, airport tugs, as back-up power for data centers, and as primary power for buildings.