October 29, 2004 General Motors has adapted a HUMMER H2 SUT to run on hydrogen, and will share it with the office of the Governor of California (aka Arnold Schwarzenegger). The HUMMER H2H will assist efforts to learn more about hydrogen storage and refueling infrastructure development."The H2H is a bold experiment that along with the Hydrogen Highway Network will help California demonstrate the economic and technical viability of hydrogen," said California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. "Californians invent the future and the H2H shows that a vehicle of today can run on the fuel of tomorrow."
The H2H is a HUMMER H2 that has been extensively re-engineered to operate on gaseous hydrogen fuel, with its main tailpipe emission being water vapor. The truck uses a supercharged version of the truck's original Vortec 6000 (6.0-liter V-8) internal combustion engine. The H2H is not intended for production.Click to view larger imageClick image to enlarge
"The H2H was created for two purposes," said Elizabeth Lowery, GM vice president, Environment & Energy. "It brings focus and attention to the journey to a hydrogen economy, and it will provide GM with key learnings on hydrogen storage, hydrogen delivery systems, and hydrogen refueling infrastructure development."
Long-term vision
GM is moving very fast on reducing the cost of fuel cell stacks and proving the technology and commercial viability of fuel cell technology. GM is committed to perfecting fuel cells because they are more efficient and cleaner than internal combustion engines.
"As part of our 'march toward zero' with fuel cell vehicles, we need to learn many things about the handling and storage of hydrogen and its use as a motor vehicle fuel," said Lowery. "We believe the H2H will improve our understanding of using hydrogen as a motor vehicle fuel and of creating a viable hydrogen-refueling infrastructure."
In addition to its experimental use, HUMMER will use the H2H to bring attention to the promise of hydrogen, especially the public and private partnerships required to create a hydrogen economy. For example, H2H will be used to help illustrate important milestones in the development of California's Hydrogen Highway Network, an initiative that combines the efforts of industry and government to develop that state's infrastructure, research and economic development efforts.
The H2H was created by a team of GM engineers from the U.S., Canada and Germany, in collaboration with Quantum Technologies (NASDAQ: QTWW), a California-based leader in packaged fuel systems for hydrogen and one of GM's fuel cell technology alliance partners.
HUMMER's experiment
"The H2H is a bold experiment showcasing HUMMER's support for long-term solutions to energy and environmental challenges," said Susan Docherty, HUMMER general manager. "It is something we can do right now to help support GM's long-stated goals of pursuing commercially viable fuel cell technologies."
Along those lines, HUMMER fuel economy will improve in 2005. The midsize H3 debuts in the spring as an authentic HUMMER in a smaller and more fuel-efficient package. Also in 2005, the original HUMMER, the H1, will see a fuel economy increase of up to 15 percent with the introduction of the H1 Alpha model equipped with the Duramax diesel engine.