GM debuts fourth-generation Hydrogen fuel cell car

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General Motors have released details on stage four of their HydroGen fuel cell vehicle development program

September 14, 2007 General Motors have released details on stage four of their HydroGen fuel cell vehicle development program. Over the next 18 months, over 100 fuel-cell powered HydroGen4 vehicles will be tested internationally in a range of driving environments and conditions. The question remains though, is Hydrogen likely to become a viable alternative to petrol?

Despite well-understood difficulties in producing and distributing hydrogen as a replacement to petroleum fuels, and the inherent energy inefficiency of fuel cells as a storage medium, hydrogen-electric vehicles are still viewed as one of the more feasible alternatives to the internal combustion engine as the sun begins to set on the oil era.

Batteries are a vastly more efficient option, but unsuitable for car applications because they take some time to charge, where Hydrogen can be pumped into a tank like petrol. Many major vehicle manufacturers are thus very publicly developing their ability to deal with hydrogen energy – such as General Motors (GM), whose HydroGen program has just reached its fourth stage. Perhaps as much an enviro-friendly PR exercise as a genuine path forward, the HydroGen 4 is a significant improvement on its predecessors and will be tested throughout 2008.

With the HydroGen4, GM presents the fourth generation of its fuel cell technology. "Fuel cell propulsion with hydrogen as a fuel highlights General Motors’ 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 toward completely emission-free, competitive fuel cell technology in the automobile. The HydroGen4 features considerable progress in everyday usability, dynamics and system durability compared to its predecessor."

Fuel cell development at GM is also entering a new organizational era. "The Fuel Cell Activities (FCA) research division with over 600 employees is currently being integrated into regular series development, giving it key importance within the concern," adds Carl-Peter Forster. "We are thus preparing for the series production of fuel cell technology." More than 400 engineers will now drive the development forward within the Powertrain organization, with a further 100 moving into global product development to begin the integration of fuel cells into upcoming GM models. More than 100 fourth-generation vehicles ready for global deployment

The GM HydroGen4 (length/width/height: 4796/1814/1760 mm) is the European version of the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell. As early as fall 2007, the first of these fuel cell prototypes – a global fleet of more than 100 vehicles is planned – will be on the roads in the USA. They will take part in an extensive testing and demonstration program called "Project Driveway". The vehicles will be given to customers so that GM can contain all aspects of their use of the car and how they handle filling it with hydrogen. The findings will then be included in the further development. From mid-2008, a total of ten HydroGen4 vehicles will take part in day-to-day testing within the framework of the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) in Berlin. In the second phase of CEP, various customers with different driving profiles will operate the fuel cell vehicles day after day to test the cars’ everyday usability.

The HydroGen4’s fuel cell stack consists of 440 series-connected cells. The entire system produces an electrical output of up to 93 kW. With help from a 73 kW/100 hp synchronous electric motor, acceleration from zero to 100 km/h takes around 12 seconds. The front-wheel driven vehicle’s top speed is around 160 km/h.

The HydroGen4 is designed for a lifecycle of two years/80,000 kilometers, and can start and run at sub-zero temperatures – a considerable advancement over the predecessor HydroGen3 and an important characteristic with regards to the everyday usability of fuel cell vehicles. This improvement is possible thanks to an intelligent combination of measures including thermal insulation, water management and operating strategy.

The four-seater offers the comfort, spaciousness and high safety level of today’s conventional cars, and includes driver and front passenger airbags and side airbags. ABS, Traction Control and ESP are also fitted.

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