U.S. President George Bush urged the nation to shift from traditional cars to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on Saturday.

While visiting the California Fuel Cell Partnership in state capital Sacramento on the Earth Day, Bush said technology would enable the U.S. people to change their driving habits, and get away from oil-based fuels.

California Fuel Cell Partnership, an initiative including 31 car makers, energy providers, government agencies and fuel cell companies, aims to promote the commercialization of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.

Addiction to the oil has compelled the United States to pay more for the energy, to produce more pollutants, and to rely on " unstable part of the world," noted Bush.

"It's important work we're doing here because we've got a real problem when it comes to oil," Bush said. "We're addicted, and it's harmful for the economy, and it's harmful for our national security, and we've got to do something about it in this country."

The U.S. people are going to have a "tough summer" because they will drive during tight oil supply and soaring oil price, he said.

"When that price of gasoline goes up, it hurts working people. It hurts our small businesses. And it's a serious problem we've got to do something about," he said.

And the answer is hydrogen, Bush said, "hydrogen is clean; hydrogen is domestically produced; and hydrogen is the wave of the future."

"I strongly believe hydrogen is the fuel of the future. That's what we're talking about."

The United States has spent 10 billion dollars in last five years to develop cleaner, cheaper and more reliable energy sources. And 1.2 billion dollars was allocated over five years for hydrogen research and development in 2003, according to Bush.

Source: Xinhua