Des Plaines-based Gas Technology Institute, a nonprofit firm for natural gas research and development, opened the hydrogen pump alongside two natural gas ones at its headquarters yesterday morning. GM christened the event by filling up a HydroGen3 — the one that looks like Europe’s Opel Zafira minivan.

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The gaseous hydrogen runs for around $3.50 a kilogram, which would fuel the HydroGen3 for about 55 miles. As there are no widely-available hydrogen vehicles on the market, the pump will primarily be used by a handful of prototypes, including two hydrogen shuttle buses licensed to the city of Chicago. Should any Chicagoans get their hands on a hydrogen car, the station is fitted for consumer use with a credit card reader — though anyone who wants to use it should contact GTI to get trained on proper fill-‘er-up techniques, R&D manager Tony Lindsay said.

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This summer, Texas will get its first hydrogen fueling station, along with a zero-emission hydrogen bus. Other hydrogen vehicles include the offbeat Honda FCX and a version of the Chevrolet Equinox, plus Ford’s plug-in hydrogen hybrid Edge prototype. The BMW 7 Series, which we reported on earlier, runs on liquid — not gaseous — hydrogen, which is available only in very select markets.

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Hydrogen cars are still in the guinea-pig years, leased in small numbers to select fleets or individuals. The vast majority of stations are on the coasts, and even in their densest markets, there are at most a dozen or so per area. But each new station — and each new car that purports to use the fuel — is a good sign that hydrogen really is a viable alternative fuel.