General Motors Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp. are planning a joint venture to build fuel cell systems that would enable them to begin making hydrogen-powered cars.

General Motors Corp. (http://www.gm.com) and Toyota Motor Corp. (http://www.toyota.com) are planning a joint venture to build fuel cell systems that would enable them to begin making hydrogen-powered cars. The new name for the enterprise would be Project Apollo. GM is working on fuel cell development with Sacramento-based California Fuel Cell Partnership, with several Southern California companies and at its own Advanced Technology Center in Torrance. Toyota's U.S. sales and marketing headquarters and one of its major research and engineering units are in Torrance. Toyota also operates a small fleet of experimental fuel cell vehicles in the state. According to an automotive source, no deal has been reached yet, however, and it could be months before a formal agreement is reached.