Lexus wants to build a hydrogen-powered car by 2020

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Lexus showed off its hydrogen powered concept car for the first time in North America at the Detroit Auto Show.

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Called the LF-LC, the car comes with high-tech perks like a display that can be controlled with simple hand gestures. The press release does not divulge how far the car can go on just hydrogen.

Lexus LF-LC

Lexus

The Lexus LF-LC.

With the LF-LC's debut, Lexus also announced it was committing to having "a fuel cell car in the Lexus lineup around 2020."

Toyota, the parent company to Lexus, showed its interest in hydrogen powered cars when it debuted the FCV Plus at the Tokyo Motor Show in October:

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The FCV Plus, however, was meant to show Toyota's vision for when hydrogen energy is in widespread use and is not expected to go into production.

Toyota has been working on developing fuel cell technology for more than 20 years. The company previously announced that it plans to have 3,000 of its hydrogen fuel cell-powered car, the Mirai, on the road in the US by 2017.

But Toyota isn't the only automaker interested in fuel cell technology. Audi debuted its h-tron quattro concept car, which can drive 372 miles on just hydrogen, at the Detroit Auto Show as well.

Audi does not plan on releasing the h-tron quattro concept.

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At the 2015 Tokyo Auto Show, Honda unveiled a hydrogen powered car called Clarity, which can achieve a 400-mile range.

Honda is working on creating a "Smart Hydrogen Station," which would be a small device that uses high-pressure electrolysis to create hydrogen for use in your car. Honda has yet to say when the station will be completed, but its hydrogen concept is expected to go on sale this Spring.

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