General Motors and the US Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) are modifying a Chevrolet Colorado midsize pickup truck to run on a commercial hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system, which will be exposed to the extremes of daily military use for 12 months.
“Hydrogen fuel cell technology is important to GM’s advanced propulsion portfolio, and this enables us to put our technology to the test in a vehicle that will face punishing military duty cycles,” said Charlie Freese, executive director of GM’s global fuel cell engineering activities.
“The potential capabilities hydrogen fuel cell vehicles can bring to the Warfighter are extraordinary, and our engineers and scientists are excited about the opportunity to exercise the limits of this demonstrator,” said TARDEC director, Paul Rogers.
GM and TARDEC have fuel cell R&D facilities located 20 minutes apart in Pontiac and Warren, Michigan, USA. The two collaborate to evaluate new fuel cell designs and materials. TARDEC’s state-of-the-art facility enables it to test and integrate fuel cell systems it has been developing for more than a decade.
December 2, 2015
