GM Takes Step With Operational Hydrogen Car

[jbernie]

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/auto...03/detail.html

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- General Motors Corp. has achieved a milestone in its quest to bring a hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicle to market, announcing that it now has a drivable version of its Sequel concept car.


The Sequel, which looks like a shrunken minivan and has a range of 300 miles, will be shown to reporters next month in California, GM Chairman and Chief Executive Rick Wagoner said Thursday during a speech at the Center for Automotive Research Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City.


But production and sale of the Sequel is a long way off. Wagoner wouldn't give a time estimate for when the public could buy one.

(continued at link...)

Obviously not a whole lot of detail....however there are some important things....
1) its a functioning Hydrogen vehicle
2) a range of 300 miles is very good for city driving and makes it practical
3) it is a pretty stylish looking vehicle.
4) it is more than just a dinky little 2 seater.

[Joevette]

isnt the sequal on the platform which they can just plug bodies onto to top of it? like that skateboard thing they had

[eb110americana]

It goes...


Autonomy




Hy-Wire






Sequel



...?

[give_it_all_]

I like it, I can't wait till we can actually buy these. GM said they want them on the market by 2010. But I'm guessing 2011.

[importedtuna]

GM steps toward hydrogen-fuelled car
Aug. 11, 2006. 01:00 AM

General Motors Corp. has achieved a milestone in its quest to bring a hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicle to market, announcing that it now has a drivable version of its Sequel concept car.

The Sequel, which looks like a shrunken minivan and has a range of 500 kilometres, will be demonstrated for reporters next month in California, GM chief executive Rick Wagoner said yesterday during a speech at the Center for Automotive Research Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, Mich.

But production and sale of the Sequel is a long way off. Wagoner wouldn't give a time estimate for when the public could buy one.

"That's rocket science when you get in that car," he said.

``This is the most sophisticated product, technologically advanced product, I think we've ever made in the history of GM."

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...l=969048863851

February 24, 2003
GM: Production Fuel Cell Vehicles by 2010

General Motors is optimistic that it can go into production with fuel cell vehicles by 2010.

Fuel cell-powered vehicles could be widely available by 2010, not 2020 as President Bush has suggested, General Motors said on Monday.

The White House said last week it hopes experts will be able to decide by 2015 whether hydrogen-powered fuel cells are commercially viable. And Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said the Bush administration believes automakers could bring fuel cell vehicles to showrooms by 2020.

But Larry Burns, the head of GM's research and development, said his company plans to keep its 2010 timetable. "You've got to put it out there because the main message is if you're not driving to make this viable on a high volume, profitable, affordable basis, you shouldn't be doing it," Burns said.

http://www.futurepundit.com/archives/000991.html

[CTGentleman]

Here I was coming to post an article on this. Why's it still sitting here? Is it a re-post?

[JVal14]

The more powertrain altnernatives GM offers, the better. I hope they can get it produced soon, and be on par with the Japanese. GM ( and domestics in general) need all the technology victories they can get.

[01cavalier]

Good that they have something running with reasonable reange, though I'm sure they have plenty of storage space for it to have a good range. They need to get more running on the road.

[GM_Fanatic]

Originally Posted by Joevette

isnt the sequal on the platform which they can just plug bodies onto to top of it? like that skateboard thing they had

Yes, the Sequel is still built on the "skateboard" idea that was origionally pioneered with the Autonomy. Which makes it even more exciting, because a functioning version of the Sequel means they can make a hydrogen vehicle for just about any market. Maybe GM will release a wave of concepts in the next couple years showing off the flexibility of the "skateboard". That would be cool.

[mbukukanyau]

if GM can pull this of by their 2010 deadline, they could be credited with saving Ameirica.
I know honda is trying for hydrogen and Toyo boy has given up and gone hybrid, but somehow I know J Forbes K and move on crowd will not give GM the holywood treatment they gave prius if they pull it off. I however suspect afew will be airlifted to asia as soon as they become available commercially for reverse engineering and then in 2 years hyundai will have a US$12K Hydrogen Elantra subsidised by the Korean Gov't from Seoul to you with Love.

Think of it, Erricson/Nokia Vs. Samsung/Kyocera/VK Mobile anyone?

[cincygoblue]

Originally Posted by GM_Fanatic

Maybe GM will release a wave of concepts in the next couple years showing off the flexibility of the "skateboard". That would be cool.

That's a perfect idea! Remind the world that GM is the leader in this technology, AND show how creative it is! Let potential customers know that they can buy something that's "different". That's one of the reasons that the Prius sells as well as it does. People trying to save the world like for others to know they're trying.

GM also needs to get the Governator to follow-through on his idea to put a hydrogen refueling station every 50 miles across the interstate system in California. GM can't launch these things everywhere. They need a test-bed and a focused marketing campaign. If California and Hollywood can take to this, then it can slowly spread to Phoenix, Las Vegas, Denver, Miami, Atlanta, and then up into the mid-west and east coast.

GM also needs to REALLY REALLY push this in China, where they are struggling in air quality and automotive sustainability. GM should also be pushing this ASAP and get in early in Iceland (where they have a huge jump in hydrogen infrastructure) and in Europe where gasoline prices already make it easy for governments to incentivize hydrogen. I think GM cannot think too big with this. GM can reinvent the industry if they push enough people to come along. Otherwise, people, industry and governments will be satisfied with Hybrids, Plug-ins, E-85 and small quantities of electric cars. GM can't do this alone, but they really need to start pushing about 2 years ahead of a product (or 3 product) launch.