August 11, 2008 Hydrogen powered cars touted in Bay State Play video

(Greg Wayland, NECN: Billerica, MA) - Gas prices may be dropping but they're still about 38 percent higher than this time last year, when the average was $2.77/ gallon of regular.

In this era of high gas prices, many people of turning to hybrids and other more fuel efficient vehicles. The future of cars may soon embrace a new technology.

The state's first clean emission hydrogen refueling station is being touted as the future of auto fuel technology, in a tour of 18 states opening similar pumps.

Federal transportation officials were riding along to pump up the prospects of replacing gasoline with hydrogen.

Cheryl McQueary of the Department of Transportation says the U.S. Produces and safely uses 9 million tons of hydrogen every year. That amount is enough to fuel 34 million vehicles of the 250 million that are on the road today.