Hydrogen is seen by many as the fuel of the future. Its one drawback is that the high-temperature fuel cells that convert the hydrogen into electricity can be quite energy-intensive. That is all changing now as scientists from the University of Cambridge have had a breakthrough that will help fuel cells operate much more efficiently and cheaply. Using a new thin-film electrolyte material that helps the fuel cell operate instead of those composed of conventional materials, the electrolyte material significantly improve the efficiency of current high-temperature fuel cell systems or allow them to achieve the same performance levels at much lower temperatures, meaning less wasted energy. The new material is a big win for makers of hydrogen cars as it will help boost the already impressive performance of hydrogen powered vehicles.