LAS VEGAS, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Players in the emerging hydrogen fuel cell industry are cranking up investment in the United States, betting big on hydrogen fuel cell cars.

Kenworth Truck Company and Toyota Motor North America will cooperate in developing 10 zero-emission trucks powered by Toyota hydrogen fuel cell electric power trains, announced the two companies Tuesday at the ongoing Consumer Electronics Show 2019 in Las Vegas.

This is part of the efforts by local governments in the state of California to promote zero-emission vehicles in the Port of Los Angles and nearby areas by 2020.

As much as 82 million U.S. dollars would be granted to zero-emission vehicle developers, hydrogen refueling station operators and others, said the two companies.

Air Liquide, a global supplier of industrial gases headquartered in France, announced in November last year that it would build a world-class liquid hydrogen production plant in the United States to serve the growing demand in the country.

Air Liquide expects to spend over 150 million dollars in building the production facility and construction would be started in early 2019 with a long-term supply agreement signed with Californian hydrogen refilling station operator FirstElement Fuel.

Currently, Air Liquide operates four hydrogen refilling stations in California and another four in the northeast United States with more such stations to be completed in 2019, said the company.

Most funding comes from private investment, said the company, while there are also some public incentives like refueling station grants, low-carbon fuel standards, and a cost-sharing partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy.

According to the California Fuel Cell Partnership, 5,899 hydrogen fuel cell cars have been sold or rented from January 2016 to December 2018 with Toyota taking over 50 percent of the market share. Enditem

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