Originally published April 11 2005
US Army and GM work together on fuel cell-powered military truck
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The US Army and General Motors (GM) have been working together under the driving force of Sen. Hilary Rodham-Clinton to create a military truck powered by fuel cells. The partnership seems to have been fruitful now that GM is shipping three fuel cell vehicles to the Army for a 16-month evaluation. These Chevy Silverado Crew Cab pickups are expected to deliver a maximum range of 125 miles once they are upgraded to 700-bar fuel tanks, and will provide up to 188kW of power. Their acceleration and performance are expected to be equivalent to a normal, V8 powered Silverado pickup, while giving off almost no heat signature.
The U.S. Army began its march into the hydrogen economy Friday with the introduction of the military's first ever fuel cell-powered vehicle, developed in partnership with General Motors Corp.
The truck, a modified Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab pickup, was rolled out at GM's fuel cell research center in upstate New York.
Elizabeth Lowery, GM Vice President of Environment and Energy, stated that the military's first fuel cell vehicle would be used for non-tactical applications at Fort Belvoir, Va, for a 16-month evaluation period.
The all-wheel drive vehicle is equipped with two 200-cell stacks delivering a maximum of 188kW to independent front and rear drive systems that give the 7,603-pound pickup a top speed of 93 mph.
Initially the vehicle will use three 350-bar (5000psi) hydrogen storage tanks, chosen to match the hydrogen fueling equipment at Fort Belvoir.
These tanks will be upgraded to 700-bar (10,000psi) units during the evaluation period, which will give the vehicle a maximum range of 125 miles.
U.S. Army General Nadeau described this latest partnership between the military and the private sector as a "win-win" scenario.
"Together this technology is going to come in better and faster, and will have an incredible impact on us in our civilian lives," he said.
My excitement today in not about this truck, but what is under the hood of this truck," Nadeau proclaimed.
Pointing out the significance of the event, Senator Clinton commended the parties.
"I want to thank Byron McCormick (GM Executive Director of Global Fuel Cell Activities) and the leadership at GM for really understanding the importance of this technology and being committed to it," she said.
While the fuel cell pickup is for non-tactical use, it represents a potential sea change for the future of military mobility and battlefield power generation with numerous benefits.
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