NOVELTY - A bipolar plate comprises an electrically conductive porous material, a first metal foil layer bonded to first surface of conductive material, and a second metal foil layer bonded to second surface of conductive material. The conductive material defines a coolant flow passage and the first and second metal foil layers define reactant gas channels.    USE - For use in fuel cell for motor vehicle applications.    ADVANTAGE - The bipolar plate is lighter, using ca. 0.001-inch thick metal foil as opposed to prior designs which utilize 0.03-inch thick plate material. Coolant efficiency is improved since there is more coolant per unit area in contact with the bipolar plate and the heat transfer is better. The bipolar plate provides a fuel cell which is lighter and less expensive than prior art fuel cells, without sacrificing the electrical energy output.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for the following:    (a) a fuel cell comprising a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) (20) having an anode catalyst on one face and a cathode catalyst on the other face, and a pair of bipolar plates (22) disposed on opposite sides of MEA; and    (b) formation of a bipolar plate by bonding a first thin metal foil to a first side of porous electrically conductive material, bonding a second thin metal foil to a second side of porous electrically conductive material, and patterning the first and second thin metal foils to form respective flow fluid patterns; patterning first and second thin metal foil layers to form respective flow field patterns, placing a foam material with metallized surface between the first and second thin metal foil layers in a sandwiched structure, and heating the sandwiched structure to a temperature to sinter the metal foam to first and second metal foil layers; soaking a foam material in a slurry of binder and metal powder, placing the foam material between two foil layer, and firing the two foil layers with the foam material until the metal powder is sintered to the foil layers; or providing a foam material between first and second foil layers, and depositing metal on the foam material using chemical vapor deposition.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure is a schematic perspective view of a fuel cell.    Reformate (12)    Air (14)    Depleted air (16)    Hydrogen effluent (18)    MEA (20)    Bipolar plates (22)    Header (82)