March 3, 2008Print this page
Important milestone on the road toward zero-emissions mobility
Geneva. At major motor shows like Frankfurt, Paris or Geneva, General Motors tradition-ally presents the future of individual mobility on a dedicated stand. The focus of the GM Forum at the Geneva Motor Show 2008 is on the GM HydroGen4, incorporating the fourth generation of GM’s fuel cell technology.
The GM HydroGen4 is the European version of the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell - a proto-type close to series production based on the popular crossover vehicle. The first of these fuel cell prototypes are now on the road in the USA as part of GM’s extensive market test program called “Project Driveway”. The vehicles have been loaned to customers so that GM can obtain data and feedback of all aspects of real world driving and refueling with hydrogen. To gain experience in Europe also, it is planned to deploy in 2008 a total of ten HydroGen4 vehicles within the demonstration program Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) in Berlin. In this second phase of CEP, various drivers with different driving profiles will use the fuel cell powered HydroGen4 instead of their conventional vehicle to test the cars’ everyday suitability.
The HydroGen4’s fuel cell stack consists of 440 series-connected cells. The entire system produces an electrical output of up to 93 kW. Traction is provided by a 73 kW/100 hp syn-chronous electric motor, acceleration from zero to 100 km/h takes a swift 12 seconds. The front-wheel drive vehicle’s top speed is about 160 km/h.
The HydroGen4 has a hydrogen storage system comprising three 700-bar high-pressure tanks made from carbon-fiber composite material, which can hold 4.2 kg of hydrogen. This provides an operating range of up to 320 kilometers.
“Fuel cell propulsion with hydrogen as a fuel highlights GM’s commitment to take the car out of the environmental debate and reduce our dependency on oil,” says Carl-Peter Forster, President of GM Europe. ”HydroGen4 is powered by GM’s most advanced fuel cell system and marks an important milestone on the road towards completely emission-free, competitive fuel cell technology in the automobile. The HydroGen4 features consid-erable progress in everyday usability, dynamics and system durability compared to its predecessors. And in addition, it offers the comfort and safety of a regular production vehicle.”
gmeurope
Geneva. At major motor shows like Frankfurt, Paris or Geneva, General Motors tradition-ally presents the future of individual mobility on a dedicated stand. The focus of the GM Forum at the Geneva Motor Show 2008 is on the GM HydroGen4, incorporating the fourth generation of GM’s fuel cell technology.
The GM HydroGen4 is the European version of the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell - a proto-type close to series production based on the popular crossover vehicle. The first of these fuel cell prototypes are now on the road in the USA as part of GM’s extensive market test program called “Project Driveway”. The vehicles have been loaned to customers so that GM can obtain data and feedback of all aspects of real world driving and refueling with hydrogen. To gain experience in Europe also, it is planned to deploy in 2008 a total of ten HydroGen4 vehicles within the demonstration program Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) in Berlin. In this second phase of CEP, various drivers with different driving profiles will use the fuel cell powered HydroGen4 instead of their conventional vehicle to test the cars’ everyday suitability.
The HydroGen4’s fuel cell stack consists of 440 series-connected cells. The entire system produces an electrical output of up to 93 kW. Traction is provided by a 73 kW/100 hp syn-chronous electric motor, acceleration from zero to 100 km/h takes a swift 12 seconds. The front-wheel drive vehicle’s top speed is about 160 km/h.
The HydroGen4 has a hydrogen storage system comprising three 700-bar high-pressure tanks made from carbon-fiber composite material, which can hold 4.2 kg of hydrogen. This provides an operating range of up to 320 kilometers.
“Fuel cell propulsion with hydrogen as a fuel highlights GM’s commitment to take the car out of the environmental debate and reduce our dependency on oil,” says Carl-Peter Forster, President of GM Europe. ”HydroGen4 is powered by GM’s most advanced fuel cell system and marks an important milestone on the road towards completely emission-free, competitive fuel cell technology in the automobile. The HydroGen4 features consid-erable progress in everyday usability, dynamics and system durability compared to its predecessors. And in addition, it offers the comfort and safety of a regular production vehicle.”
gmeurope
Being an advocate of the sloga n "let's get out of oil as soo n as possible", I see those pr ogresses as encouraging. [...]