With shrinking energy reserves and rising concerns for the environment, efficient and clean-burning fuel is needed. At this point, fuel cell vehicles promise to be far more efficient, clean and truly zero emission with the only by-product being pure water (Texas Tech University develops fuel cell powdered hybrid electric vehicle for future car challenge. Electrical engineering and mechanical engineering departments, Texas Tech University, 1998). Fuel cell hybrid vehicles (FCHVs) offer additional flexibility to enhance the fuel economy in comparison with direct hydrogen fuel cell vehicles which cost a lot (Build your own electric vehicle. p. 162). FCHV mainly consists of fuel cell and battery power system which can assist and compensate for the total system power for the instance of low fuel cell power. To operate this system effectively, the controlling and optimizing the power proportion of the each power from fuel cell system and battery system must be primarily solved. In order to seek future vehicle power systems, the feature of hydrogen FCHV and its control are discussed in this paper. (C) 2002 International Association for Hydrogen Energy. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.