GM Partners With U.S. Army to Test Fuel-Cell Colorado
Wouldn't it be great if our troops could have reconnaissance vehicles that made little noise and produced a low heat signature when roaming through deserts and forests? Well, it might not be too long before our armed forces are driving hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles to carry troops and supplies, especially if GM and the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development & Engineering Center have their way.
TARDEC is working once again with GM to create some special Chevrolet Colorados equipped with hydrogen fuel cells, which will provide a substantial amount of low-end power and only water vapor out the tailpipe among many other benefits.
"Hydrogen fuel cell technology is important to GM's advanced propulsion portfolio, and this enables us to put our technology to the test in a vehicle that will face punishing military duty cycles," said Charlie Freese, executive director of GM's global fuel cell engineering activities, in a statement.
GM and TARDEC have development and research facilities near each other in Michigan and have worked on several special pickup projects in the past. TARDEC has been working to integrate fuel-cell systems for more than a decade, while GM launched Project Driveway in 2007 in which 119 fuel-cell-equipped Chevy Equinoxes were driven more than 3 million miles by more than 5,000 consumers in an early test program.
Additionally, earlier this year GM won a contract with Oshkosh Defense LLC to supply its Army Humvee replacement vehicles with 6.6-liter Duramax turbo-diesel engines.
The TARDEC fuel-cell program is scheduled to last 12 months to find out how the alternative fuel system responds to severe duty cycles and the rigors of military life. This will be the first midsize pickup TARDEC has equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell.
As to the sketch of the fuel-cell pickup released by GM, we're not sure why it is so cryptic. It's not like the sketch will compromise national security or reveal secrets to GM's competition.
Nevertheless, you can bet we'll doing everything we can to see if we can test-drive it sometime soon. More to come.
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Comments
Nice to see the development of new technology but too bad it is being used to kill people.
It's good to see the R and D money being used to develop technology.
With the world awash with crude at the moment and for the next few years I would of thought if any technology was to be researched for military applications EV tech would of been more apt.
How will the army store and transport hydrogen in a war zone?
If industry is having problems introducing hydrogen and even EVs into the civilian market due to the logistical nightmare of the storage and distribution of energy how can the military improve on this.
The vehicles themselves will work, but the fuel is needed to be nearby for these vehicles to operate.
Lots of issues to work out. Hydrogen is extremely flammable so a hit on the fuel source would be catastrophic to the crew. http://www.caranddriver.com/features/pump-it-up-we-refuel-a-hydrogen-fuel-cell-vehicle
Seriously Lou?? That's the same as police cars are used to kill people. The military is there to help stop the killing...think before you speak!
I hope the ignition switch don't malfunction or else we'd have more dead TROOPS. Way too go Army, should've picked another mfer. SMH.
@tj
You realize gasoline and diesel are also highly flammable right?...
Hydrogen in an appropriately design pressure vessel is arguably more safe than a standard gas tank.
A punctured H2 tank would make a geyser with minimal heat radiation. A punctured gas tank can engulf a car in minutes.
Fake "military grade aluminum" F150 LMAO! Looks like GM trucks are real military grade, from the ground up! The real military wants steel by the looks of it, and from the truck maker with the longest lasting trucks on the road! Military grade aluminum F150 my a#$ LMMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@johnny dope,
It's ok, when the ignition switch ignites the truck on fire, it won't matter which precious metal you're using, try harder next time. You're are losing it.
Frank they don't want fire ball F series trucks from Furd with hydrogen fuel cells! That take US taxes payer money to sit up shop in Mexico! Plus GM has been working on hydrogen fuel cells since 2007, with 3 million miles of testing. Something El cheapo Furd could only dream bout with their retarded engineers!
Frank Tardo the ignition switch don't ignite trucks on fire! Get a clue Ford tard!
Oh my mistake, my apologies. I was mistaken the word Fire within the tabloids when GM FIRED its engineers for the faulty ignition switch, still a p.o.s ball of fire if you ask me.
See that, johnny dupe, it takes a real man to admit his mistake.
Learn twerp!!
@Bill - if you feel that the role of the military and the police are the same then perhaps you need to reassess where you are living ;)
Fake "military grade aluminum" F150 LMAO! Looks like GM trucks are real military grade, from the ground up! The real military wants steel by the looks of it, and from the truck maker with the longest lasting trucks on the road! Military grade aluminum F150 my a#$ LMMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: johnny doe | Nov 19, 2015 3:12:14 PM
Hey loser Doh, maybe you should actual check something out before you look like a total moron. or maybe you should write a strongly worded letter using your 4th grade education level to Alcoa, Ford, and the military that they are all wrong.
http://www.supplierbusiness.com/news/24252/alcoa-to-supply-military-grade-aluminium-for-ford-f-150-pick-ups
http://www.alcoa.com/global/en/news/headlines/news_detail.asp?xpath=2014_02_25_Ford_F150
http://www.alcoa.com/global/en/news/news_detail.asp?pageID=20131010005956en&newsYear=2013
Frank they don't want fire ball F series trucks from Furd with hydrogen fuel cells! That take US taxes payer money to sit up shop in Mexico! Plus GM has been working on hydrogen fuel cells since 2007, with 3 million miles of testing. Something El cheapo Furd could only dream bout with their retarded engineers!
Posted by: johnny doe | Nov 19, 2015 3:18:14 PM
Hey retardo, do you even check anything you run your 4th grade education mouth about??????????????
http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a1532/4214707/
http://www.hydrogencarsnow.com/index.php/ford-airstream-concept/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/28/hydrogen-fuel-cell-cars-vehicles_n_2566285.html
http://www.motortrend.com/news/news051028-ford-focus-2/
they could not pick a worse time to be discussing alternative fuels. Cheap gas and diesel, not a good scenario for product development.
Hey child I mean LMAO, they still picked the best GM and it has your panties all in a bunch LMMFAO!! Go wash your daddies truck you missed another spot LMMAFO!!!!!!!!
Hey child I mean LMAO, they still picked the best GM and it has your panties all in a bunch LMMFAO!! Go wash your daddies truck you missed another spot LMMAFO!!!!!!!!
Posted by: johnny doe | Nov 19, 2015 5:02:40 PM
You are way to humorous. you spew pure garbage trying to be part of the cool kids and get caught because you are clueless. Then you go back to your old pathetic attempts to post a reply.
Hmmmmmm that was pretty quick. Didn't take very long to "service your sister" LMAO
Cool Link LMAO, looks like Toyota is on for Aluminum in the 2018 Camry.
Your daddy gonna beat you a#$ clear across the county for running your pie hole to older folk like that, and not doing your job wash them fleet of trucks he's got LMAO!!!! Go make love to your fake military grade aluminum F150 and keep dreaming Furd engineers could build hydrogen fuel cells on fire ball trucks FORD
FIRE!!
LMMFAO!
Looks like GM just can get off the government teet.
edit
can't instead of can
Your daddy gonna beat you a#$ clear across the county for running your pie hole to older folk like that, and not doing your job wash them fleet of trucks he's got LMAO!!!! Go make love to your fake military grade aluminum F150 and keep dreaming Furd engineers could build hydrogen fuel cells on fire ball trucks FORD
FIRE!!
LMMFAO!
Posted by: johnny doe | Nov 19, 2015 5:14:58 PM
Your the one dreaming Johnny Dumb Dumb. My link showed Ford build a hydrogen car in 2005. Didn't you say GM was the first in 2007????????????????? I could care less about verifying that but looks like Ford may have been the first, hmmmm that means Johnny moron moron is a senile old fart. And I could care less if your some old Fart. An idiot is an idiot and you already know your an idiot. Just got off the toilet. Made a brown statue of you..................
Looks like GM just can get off the government teet.
Posted by: Scott | Nov 19, 2015 5:23:15 PM
One thing to remember is both GM and Ford have government contracts for vehicles. So seeing the smaller truck as a test bed is not surprising at all.
Maybe Toyota needs to develop hydrogen cell Tacoma's. At least that way ISIL and al-Qaeda will be able to be on equal footing with the Infidels ;)
They say Johnny blowhard has already signed on to be a test DUMMY and give feedback. That's right up his alley. TEST DUMMY.
You Ford tards are the only dumb dumbs around here cough truck retard cough LMAO kid HAHAHA! GM blows Ford out of the water once again HAHAHAHAHA!
Fuel-cell sounds interesting, but it'll be even more interesting to see battery electric Silverados and Sierras. Not knocking on the diesels or gassers, but I'd just like to see what they'd come up with.
Hydrogen fuel cell hybrid using a rotary engine sounds like a great idea. Make the rotary bi- fuel. Gasoline/hydrogen until hydrogen fuel stations are readily available.
I would happily pay 4 dollars a gallon for hydrogen if it meant no more foreign pretrial.
In this time off terrorism. It is a perfect time to get off of foreign Petri.
The only unsolved problem for hydrogen is fueling stations.
The reason I say rotary engine is because it is so compact and is modular.
Hydrogen from electrolysis using things like solar cells and wind mills for power is the perfect solution.
Windmills and tidal generators located at sea c
ould produce all of the world's energy necessarily
Petroleum
Sorry for typos, not good at cell phone.
What a retard johnny blowhard. Don't forget to get on that Little Short Yellow Bus this morning. Those people are trying very hard.
@ Lou Obviously things in BC are worse than the rest of Canada if you think the military are just for killing people. They're there to protect citizens, like you, as well as the police. Different role but the same outcome. And for what its worth, a Chevy Colorado would never see combat. Do some time and learn about the military...
@Bill - military do protect people but rules of engagement are different.
Why would the military want vehicles with reduced heat signatures?
It isn't to sneak up on civilians needing aide.
BTW - I should of put a symbol there i.e. sarcasm.
No disrespect meant to the military.
@Ĺou Thanks, I'll accept that. I have a tendency to get touchy when the military gets dissed.
For tactical purposes, this could make since for this concept to be considered by the US Army based on how quiet this vehicle can be, Electric Powered Vehicles would have been another good option though their power and range capabilities based on mission requirements, probably would not have held up too well, overall not too much else can be said about this topic until we here from the evaluators on as to whether or not this co-development will be a "Sweet Dive" to success or a "Belly Flop" in the pool result!!
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