(Rolla, MO) -- It looks like hydrogen is going to be a part of the new wave of alternative energy for the future.  Major manufacturers have already created hydrogen vehicle and fueling technologies, one of those is right here in Missouri.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is showing off a number of those type of vehicles in a coast to coast tour.

On Tuesday it stopped in Rolla, where the first hydrogen refueling station in our area is already in operation.

It's the ultimate road trip, but the cars are taking a road less traveled as they steer away from oil and fill up on hydrogen.

"We want to demonstrate to the American public that this is a viable alternate to petroleum," says Paul Brubaker with the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The D.O.T. says the cars not only put the brakes on oil, they open up doors to going green because hydrogen produces little to no emissions.  Nine major car manufactures have hit the road on this nationwide tour making 31 stops in 18 states, giving people an opportunity to get behind the wheel and grasp what the future may hold.

"It's important to put these vehicles on the road and let them drive thousands of miles to see if after 50,000 the dashboard squeaks," says Chris White, one of the directors on the Hydrogen Tour.

Tuesday's stop in Rolla also highlighted Missouri University of Science and Technology's hydrogen buses, which provide shuttle service in Rolla.

"Some vehicles operation on internal combustion engines where they burn hydrogen, it's about 30 percent more efficient than petroleum, others are fuels cells, which are two to three times more efficient," says Brubaker.

While hydrogen cars may not hit car lots for several years, Chuck Wiersch with Youngblood in Springfield is already getting ready to grasp a new look on the lots.
 
"I think all the manufactures will end up switching to other alternative means of fuel sources.  They are looking for ways to make the mileage move up and also a cleaner burn," says Wiersch.

Exploring the cars of tomorrow, so that those alive today can hope for a better future.  The Department of Transportation estimates hydrogen cars will be on car lots by 2015.

 It's not an availability issue because there's nine million tons of hydrogen being produced in th U.S. every year.  Brubaker says the challenge will be getting the cars and fueling stations and confidence from the public, all of these he says take time.

A student design team with Missouri's Science and Technology campus is also a part of Eco-Car challenge.  Over the next three years, the team will re-engineer a Saturn Vue as part of a competition sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of Energy.