23.9.2002
Hy-wire: the world's first drivable fuel cell and by-wire vehicle

Driving closer to reinventing the automobile, GM will unveil the Hy-wire, the world's first drivable vehicle that combines a hydrogen fuel cell with by-wire technology at the Paris Motor Show this week.

Hy-wire, named for its hydrogen fuel cell propulsion and by-wire technology, incorporates the features first presented earlier this year and seen as a concept vehicle at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland. As the world's first drivable fuel cell and by-wire vehicle, the Hy-wire will be introduced to the public at the Paris Motor Show.

A selected group of international journalists invited to Dudenhofen Germany last week responded favorably to their first Hy-wire test drive. "GM's Hy-wire, the successor to the skateboard-like AUTOnomy seen earlier this year in Detroit, is a clear statement that world's largest automaker remains committed to developing next-generation powertrains that real people will love as much as environmentalists already do", reported The Detroit News' Daniel Howes.

Hy-wire is the result of successful global cooperation among GM teams. GM designers and engineers in the US developed the vehicle chassis and body design, as well as the engineering and electrical system integration. Engineers at the Global Alternative Propulsion Center in Mainz-Kastel, Germany, integrated the fuel-cell propulsion system. American designers also worked closely with Italian design house Stile Bertone in Turin, where the body was built. The SKF Group, headquartered in Sweden, developed the by-wire technology in the Netherlands and in Italy.

"The fact that we developed Hy-wire as a drivable concept vehicle in just eight months shows our commitment to this technology and the speed at which we are progressing," said Rick Wagoner, GM's president and CEO.

By combining fuel cell and by-wire technology, Hy-wire is packaged in a unique way, opening up a new world of chassis architectures and customized bodies for individualized expression. It is a significant step towards creating automobiles that are friendly to the environment and offer buyers the choice of number of new body styles.

To show off this radically new architecture, the front and rear panels are made of transparent glass. Onlookers can see through the car from front to rear. The extensive use of glass, open seat backs and the absence of a hood also provide a greater visual command of the road for the driver.

The X-drive, which allows steering, braking and other vehicle systems to be controlled electronically rather than mechanically, provides greater freedom for the driver. Drivers also have the option to brake and accelerate with their hands.

The fuel cell stack, which produces a continuously available power of 94 kilowatts, is installed in the back of the chassis. Most of the chassis is 11-inches thick, tapering to 7 inches at the edges. The electrical motor drives the front wheels and is installed transversely between them. Three cylindrical storage tanks (5,000 psi - pounds per square inch or 350 bars) are located centrally in the chassis.

Hy-wire weighs 1,900 kilograms and putting all technical elements into the chassis provides a low center of gravity, giving the architecture both a high safety and driving dynamics potential without sacrificing ground clearance. This enables superior handling, while resisting rollover forces, with the tallest body attached.