Hydrogen Automobile Heads Toward Series Production HydroGen3 Puts Fuel Cells on the Road

Abstract

AbstractGeneral Motor's concept vehicle HydroGen3, based on the Opel Zafira production model, represents the third generation of fuel cell concept vehicles. Groundbreaking new technical and engineering improvements have been reached, e.g. the integration of the latest generation of fuel cell stacks. The fleet demonstrations will start this year. Given the current stage of development at GM/Opel, hydrogen‐powered automobiles could be mass‐produced in about eight years. An efficient fuel cell technology suitable for everyday use is the essential pre‐condition for the development of an alternative propulsion system, which would replace the classic crude oil‐based fuels for the vehicles of the future. However, this technology alone is not sufficient to establish fuel cell automobiles as viable substitutes for conventional vehicles with gasoline and diesel engines. Factors such as purchase price, safety, engine performance and driving dynamics also play a decisive role for the customer. General Motors (GM) has therefore invested more than one billion dollars to develop an automobile incorporating state‐of‐the‐art fuel cell technology with vehicle characteristics suited to the marketplace. The hydrogen concept vehicle HydroGen3 (Figure 1) marks the newest and most comprehensive advance made by GM/Opel on the road to fuel cell vehicle market readiness. Test drives conducted by an international group of expert journalists at the Grand‐Prix course in Monte Carlo in December 2002 confirmed that the HydroGen3 has brought mass production of hydrogen‐fuelled automobiles within reach.