H2, Oh: The Future

I had a chance to look into the future of the automobile, or at least one possibility. Recently, our friends at Quirk Chevrolet here in Portland hosted a visit from GM’s state-of-the-art Equinox Fuel Cell Vehicle. This is GM’s test project for hydrogen powered cars: zero gasoline, zero emissions, all placed neatly in a stock Chevy Equinox SUV.

The Equinox Fuel Cell Vehicle is a real car, not a crazy science project; clean and functional both inside and out. From the street, you can not tell that it is special, aside from its distinctive logo markings on the body and the whine that it makes as it drives. The Hydrogen Equinox still starts with a key, but there is no sound of an engine turning over. There is no firing, just the whirling sound of its compressor ramping up, along with a cooling system for the battery.

The H2 Equinox still seats four, with stock trunk space pretty much left intact. Only a small portion is taken up by one of the three hydrogen fuel tanks protectively hidden under the vehicle. This Equinox is heavier than stock with an additional 700 pounds from its fuel cell system, batteries and adjustments made for the hydrogen tanks. Instead of an exhaust pipe, there are four ports cut into the rear bumper to vent water vapor, not noxious fumes. There is no exhaust buffeting, just drops of water.

While I did not get a test drive, friends of mine did get to cruise around the parking lot. They both agreed, “Smooooth!” It should be, it is essentially an electric car that runs on hydrogen. Hidden inside is a processor, three hydrogen tanks, batteries and an electric motor. The electro-chemical processor takes the hydrogen gas, strips electrons from its molecule which becomes electric current to drive the motor. The hydrogen is then combined with oxygen producing water which is vented from the rear bumper. Cold weather starts? Not a problem, the car is good to -13 degrees.

Details include:

- instant torque from a single speed 126 hp electric motor

- no transmission, one speed to 100 mph

- 0-60 mph in 12 seconds

- 236 lbs. ft. of torque

- range of 150-200 miles

- regenerative braking that charges the battery when braking.

Despite the Hindenburg jokes, designers argue that hydrogen is a safer fuel than gasoline. GM is serious about this vehicle and hopes to have it available for purchase within three years. As a result, they are now testing 100 of them in Los Angeles, New York and Washington, DC where there is access to hydrogen refueling stations. Refueling is simple, just connect a tube from the feed tank to the connector behind the Equinox’ fuel door, and presto, as easy as filling the tires with air, that is if you can find a fueling station.

Refueling the hydrogen is only one of many challenges facing this SUV’s future. GM’s Hydrogen Fuel Cell car may prove to be just plain too expensive. No one will quote a market price for the car, but as a limited production vehicle, it may cost thousands more than a sane individual would be willing to pay. GM may need to market it with a subsidized lease. Another challenge is the question of the affordability of hydrogen. While hydrogen is plentiful as an element, its extraction from hydrocarbons such as natural gas or coal is still reliant on fossil fuels, not to mention the development of a whole new infrastructure of refueling stations, all expenses that would be passed on to the consumer. There is also direct competition from other choices including new hybrid designs and pioneering electric vehicles. Finally, the consumer may not want to settle for this vehicle’s limited range of only 150-200 miles, especially considering its potentially steep purchase price.

GM is looking to the future with its fuel efficient choices. They now offer 30 different more traditional models that deliver 30 mpg or better. In addition to the Fuel Cell Equinox, GM is also aggressively pursuing viable alternatives with its flex fuel vehicles, its hybrids and its exciting, upcoming Volt electric car. The future is now!

Check back here soon. I was able to drive two GM products recently, the new Chevy Malibu and the Extended Cab Silverado pick-up. I will share my impressions with you.