We proposed a new type of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) operating without using an anode material, where the anode was spontaneously formed by reduction of the electrolyte surface under reducing gas conditions. A BaCe0.76Y0.20Pr0.04O3 - x electrolyte most successfully met this criterion. This material showed high mixed protonic-electronic conduction, whereas the open circuit voltage (OCV) of the cell was slightly lower than the theoretical value. The resulting SOFC exhibited reasonable fuel cell performances together with a good stability to thermal and redox cyclings and high resistance to carbon deposition up to 800 degreesC for dry methane, ethane, and propane. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.