GM Readies Fuel Cell Technology for Future Production
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General Motors Corp. is looking to advance its fuel cell
ambitions to another level by moving more than 500 fuel cell experts from
advanced development laboratories to core engineering functions to prepare this
technology for future production.
According to media reports, more than 400 fuel cell
engineers are set to report to GM's Powertrain Group to begin production
engineering of fuel cell systems. Another 100 will transfer to GM's Global
Product Development organization to begin integrating fuel cells into future
company vehicles. Finally, more than 150 fuel cell scientists and program
support will remain as part of GM's Research and Development center to continue
advanced research in hydrogen storage, fuel cells and program
commercialization.
The move is aimed at speeding up the company's efforts to
produce vehicles that displace petroleum through energy diversity.
According to Larry Burns, GM Vice President, Research and
Development, "Eight years ago we said that hydrogen fuel cell electric
vehicle technology could make a major contribution to solving the energy and
environmental challenges facing the automobile industry." The announcement,
Burns adds, signals another important milestone as GM moves fuel cell vehicles
closer to future production.
GM, maker of quality GMC window regulator,
gave the details about its fifth-generation fuel cell system technology when it
unveiled the fuel cell-powered E-Flex version of the Chevrolet Volt at the
Shanghai Auto Show last April. This latest system is half the size of its
predecessor, yet provides the same power and performance.
This realignment is yet another initiative in GM's
commitment to displace petroleum usage in the auto industry through a range of
propulsion alternatives, including:
•
E85-capable biofuel vehicles - GM is a leading producer with more than 2
million on the road today
• GM's 2-mode hybrid system for large city buses
• GM's Hybrid System in the Saturn Vue Green Line and Saturn Aura Green Line
• Coming this fall, GM's 2-mode hybrid system in the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC
Yukon full-size SUVs, which provides a more than 25-percent improvement in fuel
economy to what is already the industry's most fuel-efficient large SUVs, with
no compromises in performance or towing capability
• Due next year, a front-wheel-drive 2-mode Saturn Vue Green Line that is
expected to deliver up to a 45-percent improvement in combined city and highway
fuel economy compared with the current non-hybrid Vue, based on current federal
test procedures
• Plans to produce a plug-in version of the 2-mode hybrid Vue Green Line that
has the potential to achieve double the fuel efficiency of any current SUV
GM's fourth-generation system currently powers the
Chevrolet Sequel and Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles. The Sequel recently went into
the record books as the first electrically-driven fuel cell vehicle to achieve
more than 300 miles on one tank of hydrogen, in and out of traffic on public
roads, while producing zero emissions. The Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell will be
launched later this year as part of Project Driveway, which will place more
than 100 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles with consumers in
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