Hydrogen Power Mini Van

[Marsman]

Hydrogen is cleaner yes. More efficient, well? Hydrogen being a simple atom doesn't yield as much energy when combined with O2 as do more complex atoms such as methane, butane, gasoline, etc. That's why we've used those instead of hydrogen as they produced more energy per unit. It's only now that technology with fuel cells and electric cars has reached the point where hydrogen begins to become a viable souce.
As with any company with a primary limited lifetime product, they had better be looking for ways to diversify or perish in time. Obviously any company will resist giving up their primary product, but they know there comes a day that it's either embrace the new or fade into the sunset. So I'm not surpised that an oil company would team up with an auto producer for a project like this. I'd suspect you will see a few more such mergers in the coming years.