I’m behind the wheel of one of the most advanced vehicles on the planet, Chevy’s Equinox Fuel Cell. Yet, I’m chatting away with my GM passenger almost oblivious to the drive, as if this was an everyday occurrence. It may be that this crossover vehicle is fueled with hydrogen, creates its power through an electrochemical process in lieu of combustion, and uses the same kind of technology that creates electricity and water onboard the Space Shuttle. No matter. Driving it feels so normal I’m completely at ease with the drive with little thought of the processes at work behind the scenes. And that’s just what GM is after.
Soon, drivers in suburban Los Angeles, New York City, and Washington D.C. will also have the ability to experience such vehicles through “Project Driveway,” which will place more than 100 Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles in the hands of private motorists. Ranging from regular families to celebrities, the drivers will have free use of an Equinox Fuel Cell and the hydrogen fuel needed to run it for an average period of about three months. In return, the drivers will provide GM feedback about the vehicles’ performance and their views about the experience.
After our test drive, we don’t expect the Equinox Fuel Cell to have any problems keeping up with these drivers’ daily driving demands. Plenty of space for four passengers and 32 cubic feet of cargo volume are afforded by careful packaging of GM’s fourth-generation fuel cell propulsion system, including a nickel-metal-hydride battery pack and three 10,000 psi hydrogen storage tanks. A 150-mile driving range meets the needs of most driving chores. Sub-freezing operating capability will also be of particular importance to East Coast drivers.
The Equinox Fuel Cell meets the same federal safety standards as all cars, but attains one benchmark that most only dream of: Zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) certification from the EPA, the ultimate goal for all motor vehicles of the future.
