Hydrogen highway

has received a purchase order for 15 hydrogen-fuelled Toyota Prius hybrid vehicles from

, a participant and vehicle provider to the

(HyNor). These hydrogen hybrid vehicles will be put in service in Norway in 2006 and 2007 as part of the HyNor program.

HyNor is a Norwegian joint public/private partnership initiative to demonstrate real life implementation of hydrogen energy infrastructure along a route of 580 kilometres (360 miles) from Oslo to Stavanger.

The project comprises all steps required to develop a hydrogen infrastructure and includes various hydrogen production technologies and uses of hydrogen, in all cases with an adaptation to local conditions.

The overall objectives of the HyNor project are to demonstrate the commercial viability of hydrogen energy production, hydrogen's use in the transportation sector, and the development of a hydrogen infrastructure.

HyNor will address various means of transportation, including buses, taxis, and private cars, and various transportation systems, including urban, inter-city, regional, and long national transports. The project will connect various activities and cities in a common network along one of the major national transport corridors, between the capital Oslo and Stavanger, the major oil and energy city in Western Norway.

The hydrogen Priuses to be delivered to Norway will be based on Quantum's OEM-calibre hydrogen hybrid vehicles operating in California. Quantum recently delivered 30 hydrogen Priuses to municipal fleets in Southern California.