HONDA will begin marketing a fuel cell vehicle at the end of this year after its FCX car gained approval by two US environmental organisations.

Certification by both the US Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resource Board means Honda has brought forward its marketing programme of the FCX in the United States and Japan.

Honda's FCX programme began in September 1999 with trials in the US and Japan and the car which will be marketed this year is the fifth generation of the vehicle. It has a top speed of 93mph and develops 81bhp with 201lb-ft of torque and has a maximum range of 220 miles.

The car could appear in the UK by 2005 following the introduction of the new Civic Hybrid car next year.