Murrican
Nov 21st, 2008, 02:06 PM
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/autos/0710/gallery.chevrolet_equinox_fuel_cell/index.html
GM tests fuel cell cars in real world
The Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell will generate PR and feedback, but is this really the future of personal transportation?
By By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNNMoney.com staff writer
Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell
Project Driveway
Beginning early next year, General Motors will be lending 100 Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell Vehicles to "everyday" American families as well as to a few celebrities and politicians.
Besides the public relations value - hence the celebrities and politicians - GM will also be gathering feedback on how people use the vehicles, how easy they find fueling them, and how they like driving them day-to-day.
Over a 30-month span, vehicles will be lent for 3-month periods to various households in the New York City, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. areas.
What those families will find is an experience that, except for fueling with pressurized gas and an awkward bump in the cargo space, is very much like driving a nice crossover SUV. But this one has water vapor for exhaust and zero engine noise.
The Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell vehicle runs entirely on hydrogen. But, unlike some hydrogen-fueled cars, the Equinox doesn't burn hydrogen like gasoline.
The Equinox uses a fuel cell that runs hydrogen across membranes, which combine it with oxygen from the air to create water. Each water molecule that's created pops loose one unneeded electron. That flow of electrons is what powers the car.
Some of the electricity from the fuel cell goes directly to the Equinox's electric motor, driving the front wheels. Some is stored in a battery for use during acceleration or whenever an extra power boost is needed.
The Equinox Fuel Cell is surprisingly pleasant to drive. Its steering has a nice feel to it, and its center of gravity is lower than a regular Equinox.
GM tests fuel cell cars in real world
The Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell will generate PR and feedback, but is this really the future of personal transportation?
By By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNNMoney.com staff writer
Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell
Project Driveway
Beginning early next year, General Motors will be lending 100 Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell Vehicles to "everyday" American families as well as to a few celebrities and politicians.
Besides the public relations value - hence the celebrities and politicians - GM will also be gathering feedback on how people use the vehicles, how easy they find fueling them, and how they like driving them day-to-day.
Over a 30-month span, vehicles will be lent for 3-month periods to various households in the New York City, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. areas.
What those families will find is an experience that, except for fueling with pressurized gas and an awkward bump in the cargo space, is very much like driving a nice crossover SUV. But this one has water vapor for exhaust and zero engine noise.
The Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell vehicle runs entirely on hydrogen. But, unlike some hydrogen-fueled cars, the Equinox doesn't burn hydrogen like gasoline.
The Equinox uses a fuel cell that runs hydrogen across membranes, which combine it with oxygen from the air to create water. Each water molecule that's created pops loose one unneeded electron. That flow of electrons is what powers the car.
Some of the electricity from the fuel cell goes directly to the Equinox's electric motor, driving the front wheels. Some is stored in a battery for use during acceleration or whenever an extra power boost is needed.
The Equinox Fuel Cell is surprisingly pleasant to drive. Its steering has a nice feel to it, and its center of gravity is lower than a regular Equinox.