DC Auto Show: General Motors introduces the first DC-Area Project Driveway participants
As General Motors prepares to start handing over the keys to fuel cell powered Equinoxes to the "customer" participants in Project Driveway, they announced the first Washington, DC-area drivers. At the Washington DC Auto Show, GM North America Sales VP Mark LaNeve introduced Tom Albert of Alexandria, VA, and Nick Williams of Washington, DC. Williams and Albert will each get a fuel cell Equinox free of charge for a three-month period. Over 100 Equinoxes are being prepared for a two-to-three-year field test. Drivers won't have to pay for fuel or insurance but will have to provide regular feedback to GM on the vehicles. The Equinox uses the current fourth-generation fuel cell stack and has a range of about 160 miles.
[Source: General Motors]
Chevrolet Picks First D.C.-Area Drivers to Participate in World's Largest Fuel Cell Vehicle Market Test
Local drivers play important role in the future of automotive transportation and electric car development
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Mark LaNeve, General Motors North America vice president for Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing, today kicked off the Washington Auto Show by introducing the first D.C.-area drivers to participate in the world's largest market test of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.
Tom Albert of Alexandria, Va., and Nick Williams of Washington, D.C., are the first area residents to join "Project Driveway," a comprehensive deployment of more than 100 Chevrolet Equinox electric vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells. Drivers in Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. will test-drive this fleet of fuel cell vehicles, and their feedback will help GM further develop and bring to market electric vehicles and other advanced technologies.
The Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell is an important component of GM's overall strategy to remove the automobile from the environmental and energy equation. It is an electric vehicle powered by GM's fourth-generation fuel cell propulsion system. It uses no gasoline and with hydrogen as its fuel, the Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell emits only water vapor and zero greenhouse gases.
Albert cites an interest in environmentally friendly technology as his motivation to be part of this innovative program. "I believe fuel cells will be the ultimate replacement for the gasoline engine, and I hope my involvement will be one part of helping bring this technology closer to reality," he said.
Williams is an admitted car buff since childhood who also has concerns about the environment and the nation's growing energy demands. "Participating in Project Driveway is one way for me to make a difference," said Williams. "I am hopeful that fuel cell technology will ultimately be of some meaningful benefit to the environment."
Everyday consumers and their families participating in Project Driveway will take delivery of their Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles for about two months in exchange for frequent and detailed insight on their personal experiences while using the vehicles as part of their daily driving routines.
"We're looking for these pioneers to deliver honest and constructive impressions – the kind of feedback that only families on the go can give us – about their day-to-day use of the vehicles," said LaNeve. "What we learn from Project Driveway will help us make certain that fuel cells and other technologies can withstand the rigors of commuting and family demands."
For about two years, the Project Driveway market test will allow a variety of drivers from all walks of life the opportunity to experience the Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell's technology. Customers in metropolitan Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. can nominate themselves to participate by visiting the Fuel Solutions site on www.chevrolet.com.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rex 2:37PM (1/24/2008)
The National Hydrogen Association is excited about General Motor’s Project Driveway progress. It’s great to have enthusiastic participants eager to support an evolving technology which will help reduce our dependency on foreign oil and improve our environment. In fact, two leading fuel cell manufacturing companies, Ballard Power Systems and Plug Power, released a joint report confirming fuel cells can improve the environment. The report is readily available at Plug Power’s website at
http://www.plugpower.com/news/documents/GHG%20FINAL.pdf.
As the automotive industry prepares us for a hydrogen economy, other organizations such as Shell, Chevron, and BP are working with the Department of Energy to establish a hydrogen fueling infrastructure. An initial $10 to $15 billion investment, equivalent to about one month of military spending in Iraq, would establish an initial refueling infrastructure within 2 miles anywhere within the top 100 metro areas, including 240 stations in both the Los Angeles and New York City metro areas; not so big a hurdle as some would lead you to believe. Hydrogen is not something new for our nation either; it has been produced, stored, and delivered by other industries for decades for applications in agriculture, oil refining and even for the food you eat (ever heard of the term “hydrogenated?” – take a look at a jar of peanut butter or the wrapper of a starburst).
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Peekoyle 8:00AM (1/22/2008)
For the billions of dollars that have been invested in fuel-cell technology, 160 miles seems rather unimpressive.
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Throwback 9:40AM (1/22/2008)
You have to start somewhere. I know most folks on this blog hate Hydrogen, but why rule out any alternative fuel at this point?
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Kardax 12:29PM (1/22/2008)
It's hard to not make fun of hydrogen.
Most hydrogen produced today comes from natural gas, a fossil fuel. This gives false expectations of what it will ultimately cost consumers. Renewable hydrogen typically means electrolysis of water, a horribly inefficient (and thus expensive) process.
There are a whole stack of other problems with the technology, but it's the above that ultimately means it will never succeed.
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Tim 1:25PM (1/22/2008)
kardax- Hydrogen HAS succeeded by redistributing $Billions of taxpayers money to GIANT Corporations.
This is exactly what the "GREEN" movement is designed to do. Leftists are just too economically STUPID to figure it out.
(notice that I did NOT use the word ignorant)
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Chris M 10:56PM (1/22/2008)
Free 3 month lease, free fuel, free insurance - What's not to love? (well, maybe the limited range and lack of fuel facilities) This is obviously a PR campaign to try and improve GMs image. I wonder how many gas guzzling SUVs it will sell?
Now, if GM was really interested in gauging customer acceptance of H2 fuel cell cars, they would be charging a reasonable lease and letting the customers bear the full cost of the H2 fuel. That is what Honda is doing with their FCX program. Of course, if they found out the true cost, there would be much less enthusiasm!
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