Japan's Honda Motor Co. said Thursday it has joined General Motors Corp. and BMW AG in jointly developing technologies for hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles and vehicles equipped with hydrogen-powered engines.

The move is expected to intensify already fierce competition among automakers developing fuel-cell vehicles, which are seen as the principal automobiles of the next generation.

Honda said it took part in a consortium to develop with the two automakers a standard for the coupling mechanisms of liquid hydrogen tanks.

"This is merely a part of our comprehensive research into possible future hydrogen supply mechanisms and does not involve joint development of fuel-cell vehicles," said Honda spokesman Hiroshi Oshima in a statement.

"Honda realizes that is essential to research hydrogen supply mechanisms from a variety of approaches and this is the reason for its participation in this consortium," he said.

Source: Xinhua