Ford has the ability to bring internal combustion hydrogen technology to market in cars within five years, according to John Lapetz, the company's program manager, the Associated Press reports. But that's only if fuel storage limitations can be solved, public fear of hydrogen can be allayed, filling stations set up, and gas prices stay high. That time frame is reasonable, Gurpreet Singh, team leader for engine and emission control technologies with the U.S. Department of Energy, says. The Energy Department also says hydrogen can be used as safely as other common fuels if handled properly, and hydrogen-powered vehicles have near zero emissions and get up to 13 percent better fuel economy than their gasoline counterparts.