| The seemingly ever-moving target that is the hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered automotive future has slowed its coy, teasing dance—at least for a moment today, when GM and Honda announced they will work together on fuel-cell tech. Both automakers already have fuel-cell technologies in the works or out on the road, so there is at least a smidgen of plausibility in their claim to have a next-generation powertrain hit the market as early as 2020. GM's Project Driveway has deployed 119 hydrogen-fueled vehicles on real roads, while and Honda's brought 85 cars to customers in Japan and the U.S. We've driven the fruits of both companies' hydrogen labor, the Chevrolet Equinox FCV and Honda's FCX Clarity, and both drive much like any other electric vehicle: quietly and with little drama. Fuel-cell vehicles combine pressurized hydrogen with oxygen to produce electricity, which is used to power an electric drive motor; the only emissions from this process is water vapor. Sounds pretty neat, right? It is, but currently, the biggest hurdle—next to sheer cost—facing fuel-cell vehicles is the lack of infrastructure; hydrogen fill-up stations are few and far between, especially in middle America. (For a full rundown of how hydrogen will pressurize itself into the mainstream, check out our crystal-ball synopsis here.) Honda and GM hope to tackle at least part of that problem, as well. After all, there's little use in working to develop a powertrain that buyers can't find fuel for. This is exactly why similar hydrogen fuel-cell efforts from the likes of BMW, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, and more have seemingly done little to sway public interest the way battery-electric vehicles like the Chevy Volt or the Nissan Leaf have.
Besides addressing fuel-availability issues, Honda and GM hope to also share know-how and benefit from enhanced "economies of scale and sourcing strategies." The duo believes fuel-cell cars can meet our needs of the future with their similarities to today's gasoline-powered cars; refueling should take about the same amount of time, driving range can exceed 400 miles, and the powertrain can be scaled to suit small or large vehicles. Even though GM and Honda's first collaborative product won't be introduced for another seven years, the two will continue with plans to introduce interim-generation models of their hydrogen products. Honda's next-gen FCX Clarity is due for 2015, and GM will announce its next move "at a later date." Until then, natural gas makes for a nice low-emissions gasoline alternative—or you could always try hitting BMW up for a hydrogen-powered supply cart.  from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com | |||
| | |||
| | |||
|
No comments:
Post a Comment