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Hydrogen Volt

April 21st, 2007 | Posted in: Electric Motor, Latest News, Politics

GM rolled out its new Volt concept variant in Shanghaii yesterday. As mentioned, the vehicle is different than the predecessor concept in that instead of a combustion engine linked to the battery, the car uses a hydrogen fuel cell, which can both charge the battery and drive the engine.

Because of the hydrogen fuel cell, the battery pack is smaller and lighter, letting the car drive for only 20 miles on electric only as opposed to 40 miles in the first version. The fuel cell system itself is also lightweight and is considered GM’s 5th generation device.

There are a few important considerations about this vehicle. Due to the lack of hydrogen refueling infrastructure, pure hydrogen vehicles are impractical for among other reasons, inablity for drivers to refuel. The Hydrogen Volt, will allow drivers to do more driving without hydrogen, and refueling can be much less freuqent. Another issue is that we are aware that Big Oil and Big Goverment are pushing the hydrogen economy. This vehicle will allow GM access to government funding dollars to help develop the car. Remember, the pure electric car isnt a favorite of the goverment and big oil. Third, the fact that the vehicle could be built with different non-electric fuel sources, demonstrates the flexiblilty and robustness of the E-flex platform and allows a “roadmap” of future vehicle to roll out on the platform, with the ICE Volt coming out first.

Posted by: Lyle

7 Responses to “Hydrogen Volt”


  1. ziv
    Vote -1 Vote +1ziv     Says:
    April 21st, 2007 at 4:33 pm

    GM would be fools not to keep up in the H2 development field, but I really think that H2 is so inefficient in EROEI that we would be fools to go down that path. A Plug In Volt, even with a 30 mile range and a small ICE to extend that range nearly indefinitely it would be a great car. Once people realize that BEV’s tend to last longer and that the energy required to go 30 miles costs a lot less if the energy is in the form of electricity rather than gasoline… Does anyone know a publicly traded company that makes a good wind generator?  

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  2. IWantToBuy
    Vote -1 Vote +1IWantToBuy     Says:
    April 21st, 2007 at 11:10 pm

    Ditto Ziv, Give us the first release of the Volt 40 mile battery range and I’ll be in the showroom ready to buy. Back burner the fuel cell. Also, it would be great to have a good looking car, but it needs to have room to fit 6 1/2 foot drivers just like the Prius can.

    GM if you insist on forcing the Fuel cell, do realize I will buy a car like the series hybrid that provides the best battery range from another company. The 20 mile battery range fuel cell model of the Volt won’t get you a sale here.

    Congress, step up to the plate and give the consumers a generous tax rebate/credit to offset the battery cost. Do not give it to the auto industy. Let the consumer choose the best technology for thenselves.

    Sounds like China might be producing battery electric/plug-ins before GM does.

    http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2007/04/22/2003357762  

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  3. Tim
    Vote -1 Vote +1Tim     Says:
    April 24th, 2007 at 6:36 pm

    The Volt series PHEV-40 with algae based biodiesel or cellosic butanol APU makes the most overall sense.
    The fact is that when you consider the entire energy cycle HYDROGEN IS NOT GREEN! Water is. H2 is a terribly inefficient “battery.” It makes no sense whatsoever to use it onboard rolling stock when compared against electricity and/or biofuels. The fact that H2 is most economically produced by splitting HYDROCARBONS like natural gas at 1/6 the cost of producing it via water electrolysis means that if we decide as a people to invest $Trillions in an all new infrastructure so that we can use H2 in our vehicles we will have decided to let big oil exchange our petroleum addiction for a “natural” gas addiction. Both are primarily supplied by the very same pushers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen http://www.oilcrash.com/articles/h_scam.htm  

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  4. majicmattyla
    Vote -1 Vote +1majicmattyla     Says:
    April 25th, 2007 at 1:14 pm

    I guess for me it is disappointing to see GM place so much focus on Hydrogen when it won’t be a viable propulsion platform in my lifetime. I’d rather they focus more on other forms of alternative fuels that are more immediately attainable/achievable. We’ve now seen Toyota overtake GM in overall sales, we’ve seen Miles Automotive develop the Javlon, a Li-battery powered electric vehicle capable of traveling 150 miles at speeds of 85 mph–and the cars are going to be built in China. For me, it’s like seeing the writing on the wall for GM. And if I were heading that company, that would be enough for me to bring this car to market within 6 months, not the 24 or more they are predicting.  

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  5. eltvic4tolo
    Vote -1 Vote +1eltvic4tolo     Says:
    November 15th, 2007 at 8:09 pm

    varboc4tb  

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  6. carlo v massobrio
    Vote -1 Vote +1carlo v massobrio     Says:
    August 2nd, 2008 at 10:22 am

    I would like to buy one. How do i go about that  

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  7. Auto Forum and Community
    Vote -1 Vote +1Auto Forum and Community     Says:
    February 25th, 2009 at 10:01 am

    Good posting.Do u want to see Auto Forum and Community ? u can visit my blog friend :D .ow yeah your blog has alread bookmarked by me  

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