Last year, the Hydrogen Electric Racing Federation (HERF) was launched as a racing organization for hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles. A bit later, the federation announced that their first race would take place in 2009 and be known as the Hydrogen 500. There have been some big names attached to this race, but we haven't heard much from them lately. Here's hoping that the race does take place as planned and that the series proves useful when it comes to practical application of hydrogen and electric power to consumer vehicles.

The next lap features Number 4.

The Hydrogen Electric Racing Federation was formed on Wednesday to promote a new racing series. In this series of racing, the vehicles will be powered by electricity derived from hydrogen.

Included in attendance for the introduction were auto industry executives, senior executives from Bridgestone-Firestone and Michelin, as well as Tony George, the CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy Racing League, and Scott Atherton, President and CEO of the American Le Mans Series.

According to Peter M. DeLorenzo, President and CEO of the new organization, "The concept of racing hydrogen fuel cell-powered machines is unprecedented and historic, simply because for the first time in many, many years, racing will undertake a key role in the development of radical new technologies for production vehicles that are still on the horizon."

DeLorenzo is also the founder of the site autoextremist.com.

Read more after the Break