GM is improving the efficiency of its fuel cells for its Sequel automobile

• Dr. Samuel W. Bodman, former Treasury and Commerce Department political appointee, is now to become Secretary of Energy (Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee confirmation hearings began last week).
• Dr. Dan E. Arvizu, former Sandia National Laboratory manager and Vice President of engineering company CH2Mhill, has now been named as Director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
• Never has there been a more important time for both these new energy leaders to confront historic high natural gas rates, recently high gasoline prices, and record US trade deficits in which energy imports are at the top of that list.
• More power with less hydrogen seems to be the goal of car manufacturers invested in fuel cell development.
• General Motors (GM) has introduced its next generation fuel cell for the Sequel, which can achieve a 300-mile range and 0-60 mph acceleration in less than 10 seconds, according to the company.
• Every advance is a step toward commercialization, Byron McCormick, who is the executive director of GM's Fuel Cell Activities, said.
• The fuel cell power module is simpler and more efficient than the previous module developed by GM.
• The fuel cell power module consists of the actual fuel cell stack, the hydrogen and air processing subsystems, the cooling system and the high-voltage distribution system.
• This power module delivers 73 kW of power for the electric traction motors, as well as auxiliaries like HVAC, by-wire electronics and the battery.
• Hydrogen introduced into the fuel cell is now directly converted to electric power to drive torque control of all wheels.