Army unveils test fleet of 16 GM fuel cell vehicles in Hawaii
23 February 2012
The US Army, Pacific unveiled a fleet of 16 General Motors’ hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles in Hawaii. Each branch of the military is evaluating the vehicles in real-world use.
Operating these vehicles will provide the military with the necessary data and experience to determine future applications of fuel cell technology.
—Charles Freese, GM executive director of Global Fuel Cell Activities
The vehicles are being paid for by the Army Tank Automotive Research Development Engineering Center (TARDEC), Office of Naval Research and Air Force Research Laboratories (ONR) and Air Force Research Laboratories (AFRL).
This is important, considering only tax dollars can afford the $100,000s to 1,000,000s per vehicle fuel cells costs.
Posted by: kelly | 23 February 2012 at 10:22 AM
$100k sure, but $1 million?
You also seem to be unaware or don't care to mention that some of the Mercedes have built a test fleet, and that Hyunday plan 500 fcev's this year, so it is simply not the case that only the military can afford them, anymore than it is the case that Hyundai would build 500 of them if they actually cost $1 million each now.
Posted by: Davemart | 23 February 2012 at 12:17 PM
"$100k sure" X times. NO ONE sells um or gives a sticker price, despite decades of grabbing research $Billions for um.
Welsh Physicist William Grove developed the first fuel cells in 1839. The GMC 1966 fuel cell Electrovan opened the door for research handouts and that's been awhile.
Hyundai is the only reason I entertain that there may be some FC vehicle future, but we're in the second decade of the Hydrogen Initiative and all is par.
Posted by: kelly | 23 February 2012 at 02:05 PM
GM built 100 Equinox fuel cell SUVs for trials years ago, they gave some to the Marines at Camp Pendleton in California to try out on the base as basic civilian transportation.
Hawaii may be one of those places where hydrogen could be used. They combine 10% hydrogen in their natural gas pipes, because natural gas has to be brought to the islands as LNG. They can make hydrogen from biomass and eletrolysis using solar, geothermal and wind.
Posted by: SJC | 23 February 2012 at 04:18 PM