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Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have already penetrated many commercial markets (e.g., portable power, backup power, materials handling, and buses) and are poised to greatly expand in the automotive market with both Toyota and Hyundai recently commercializing small fleets. As this occurs, catalysts for PEMFCs will experience ever greater demands on cost, activity, and durability. This Perspective outlines the technology timeline and characteristics of the most promising catalysts currently being developed and discusses the remaining challenges for both platinum group metal and nonprecious metal catalysts. Finally, the importance of combined catalyst and catalyst layer design strategies is highlighted, and a brief discussion on the future outlook of this field is provided.

The first commercially viable hydrogen/air performance for a nonprecious metal catalyst–based PEMFC is demonstrated.

The instability of Fe/N/C non-precious metal catalysts is still not fully understood, and must be overcome before these catalysts can be commercialized.