GM Gen4 fuel cell is go
Nine companies take to German roads with GM fuel cell vehiclesAmid intensifying debate about the short- and mid-term viability of both hydrogen fuel cell power and General Motors as a corporate entity, the company has gone ahead with real-world testing of its HydroGen4 fuel cell.
As part of a German government-funded clean energy partnership program, nine companies including insurer Allianz, Coca Cola and elevator giant Schindler have hit the streets of Berlin in HydroGen4-powered vehicles to gauge the technology's viability in daily use.
HydroGen4 is the fourth generation of a technology GM has been working on for a decade. Its fuel cell stack uses 440 single cells to extract hydrogen and oxygen from air and combine them to power a 73kW electric motor.
In vehicle testing, this translates into 0-100km/h acceleration times of around 12 seconds and a top speed of about 160km/h. All with zero emissions: the fuel cell generates nothing but water vapour.
The Berlin rollout takes to more than 100 the number of vehicles taking part in GM's worldwide Project Driveway fuel cell testing program, which also extends to the US, Japan, Korea and China.
Interest in the US is high, with GM receiving more than 100,000 applications to take part in the tests. So far, 3400 Americans have helped out, covering more than 700,000km over three months.
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