According to a report by German business magazine Wirtschaftswoche, BMW and General Motors plan to team up on the development of fuel cell technology.

Sources close to the matter say that talks between the two companies are in the advanced stages as that the automakers are close to signing an agreement. Under the partnership, BMW will get access to GM’s fuel cell technology and in exchange, BMW will contribute to research costs.

“We are speaking to GM about various future technologies but we are not saying anything more beyond that,” a BMW spokesman.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: AutoNews

The fuel cell stack on the FCV-R consists of a 70 MPa high-pressure hydrogen tank, which allows it to have cruising range of around 435 miles (under the JC08 test cycle; according to Toyota.

The Toyota FCV-R will enter production in 2015.

Hit the jump for a video on the FCV-R.

Toyota FCV-R Specifications:

Overall Length: 4,745mm
Overall Width: 1,790mm
Overall Height: 1,510mm
Wheelbase: 2,700mm
Seating Capacity: 4
Cruising Range: JC08Mode Fuel Consumption(in-company measurement) 435 miles.

- By: Omar Rana

The first concept is the new Toyota Fun-Vii – study that “heralds a future where people, cars and society are linked.” Not many details are provided on the Fun-Vii but the concept studies how people, cars, and society will connect to each other.

The second concept is the FCV-R, a sedan fuel-cell sedan fueled by hydrogen. “With the fuel-cell unit located beneath the specially designed body, the vehicle can accommodate up to four passengers and boasts impressive luggage space,” Toyota said in a statement. “The fuel cell stack, consisting of a 70 MPa high-pressure hydrogen tank, has been improved to provide a cruising distance of approximately 700 km or more (under the JC08 test cycle; according to TMC).”

Toyota plans on producing the FCV-R in 2015.

Last but not lease will be the FT-EV III electric concept. The fully-electric concept is equipped with lithium-ion batteries and has an estimated range of 65 miles. Toyota plans on producing the model as early as next year.

- By: Omar Rana

“We could expect a fuel cell vehicle to retail at about 100,000 euros ($138,000) in Europe,” said Toyota Europe Vice President for Product Planning & Marketing Alain Uyttenhoven.

The move is being made as automakers explore a range of new green technologies to help them meet tougher fuel-economy rules.

“We see pure battery-powered vehicles to be just a solution for small trips in the city, while a plug-in gasoline-electric hybrid is the best solution both for weekday urban commuting and weekend trips,” Uyttenhoven said.

The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicle will go on sale early next year.

Refresher: The 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid is powered by the same Hybrid Synergy Drive system used in the regular Prius – a 98-hp 1.8 liter 4-cylinder that runs on the Atkinson cycle and contributes to a maximum 134 total system horsepower. The system uses two electric motors, one 80-hp unit that works to power the  transaxle, and another smaller motor that works as the electric power source for battery regeneration and as a starter for the gas engine. A newly 4.4 kWh lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery pack replaces the standard Prius’ nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery and fits under the rear cargo floor. Reaching full-charge takes 2.5 to 3.0 hours using a 120v household outlet or 1.5 hours using a 240v outlet. Prices start at $32,000.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Automotive News

In a pretty interesting move, Hyundai said that it will no longer focus on developing or production electric-vehicles. Instead, Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group said that the Kia brand will focus on electric-cars, while Hyundai will work on developing plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.

The announcement was made by Yang Woong-chul, the group’s vice president, at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Under the new plan, Kia will produce the group’s first high-speed electric-vehicles under the TAM project name. Those vehicles are scheduled to hit the market by the end of the year. Korea’s first electric vehicle, BlueOn, developed by the group’s research institute in 2010, will be also be rolled out as a Kia brand later in 2011.

Hyundai said that it has the technological know-how in producing fuel-cell vehicles. The company had two ix35 hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles in Denmark in May on a trial basis.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Chosun

Besides celebrating 125 years of Mercedes-Benz history, the F125 Concept looks into the future of large luxury sedans (think S-Class). While most concept cars look into the future about one generation ahead, the Mercedes-Benz F125 Concept is looking more than two generations to the year 2025 and beyond.

“With the F 125! we want to show that large, comfortable and safe saloon cars have an excellent future, partly because they are able to operate with no emissions. The legend that is the S-Class will continue into the future thanks to intelligent solutions that always have the customer’s needs in mind,” says Prof. Dr. Thomas Weber, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. “The new research vehicle illustrates and underlines this claim to leadership with innovative ideas and traditional Mercedes strengths in the areas of design, safety, comfort and performance.”

The Mercedes-Benz F125 Concept explores a bunch of future technologies including emission-free driving with hydrogen power, e4MATIC-all-wheel drive with four wheel electric motors, a bodyshell of lightweight hybrid construction and a cloud-based infotainment system called @yourCOMAND that always keeps you connected online.

Power for the Mercedes-Benz F125 Concept comes from the fuel cell stack that was demoed in the B-Class F-CELL World Drive this year. Of course, Mercedes-Benz improved the performance, consumption and power for four electric motors installed near the wheels – creating a e4MATIC all-wheel-drive system. That gives the Mercedes-Benz F125 a continuous output of 231-hp and a peak output of 313-hp. At wheel torque comes in at 2,536 lb-ft. 0 to 62 mph in takes 4.9 seconds with a top speed of 136 mph. On a full charge of its lithium-sulphur battery and a full tank, the Mercedes-Benz F125 Concept can travel a total rang of 621 miles.

Does Mercedes-Benz have you excited for the year 2025? Let us know in the comments section after the jump.

Check out the high-res gallery above and the press talk after the jump.

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Press Release:

The new Mercedes-Benz F 125! research vehicle – Redefinition of automotive luxury: emission-free driving in First Class

• Trailblazing concept for large, luxurious automobiles
• F-CELL Plug-in HYBRID with a range of 1000 km
• Revolutionary hydrogen storage technology
• Lithium-sulphur high-voltage battery with high energy density
• Pioneering battery charging by induction
• e4MATIC-all-wheel drive with four wheel electric motors and individual torque control at each wheel
• Bodyshell of lightweight hybrid construction with gull-wing doors for optimal access, more safety and reduced weight
• Innovative saloon car architecture of avantgarde design
• Driver-fitness safety and ease of operation at the highest level, thanks to natural touch, gesture and voice control§ Always online, always connected with “@yourCOMAND” Cloud-based infotainment

As a highlight marking 125 years of the automobile, Mercedes-Benz is presenting a visionary outlook on future technical developments in the luxury segment. The F 125! research vehicle anticipates future trends and prepares the way for implementation of an innovative premium concept for large, luxurious automobiles.

In the F 125! Mercedes-Benz rigorously follows its vision of emission-free driving with hydrogen power, underlining the potential of H2 as an energy source for the future. While previous Mercedes-Benz research vehicles have “looked ahead” by roughly one vehicle generation – seven to eight years – the F 125! as the latest technological visionary goes a whole step further, by more than two generations to the year 2025 and beyond.

Innovative ideas reaffirm the claim to leadership in the luxury segment

The F 125! demonstrates how completely emission-free, individual mobility might be realised in the luxury segment in the future. The researchers and developers at Mercedes-Benz have incorporated already well-proven concepts and technologies which are not yet available today, but for which basic research has shown great future promise, and therefore a realistic chance of implementation in future series-production cars. The decisive innovations are:

• A logical further development of the fuel cell drive system in combination with plug-in technology
• Revolutionary tank technology: the structure integrated hydrogen composite storage unit.
• Lighter and more powerful batteries, in this case based on lithium-sulphur technology, which Mercedes-Benz is examining in parallel with further development of the current lithium-ion battery and research into lithium-air technology.

On this basis the F 125! was created as an innovative four-seater luxury saloon with a powerful, emission-free electric drive system based on the fuel cell technology developed to series production maturity by Mercedes-Benz. This study combines pioneering and highly efficient storage, drive and bodyshell technologies with unique control and display concepts. The research vehicle also presents itself with an expressive design which transfers the classic Mercedes design idiom into the future.Highlights of the F 125!:

• Completely emission-free mobility with a range of up to 1000 kilometres, full day-to-day suitability, superior performance and first-class comfort.
• A bodyshell of innovative, lightweight hybrid construction with a high proportion of fibre-reinforced plastics and an intelligent mix of carbon-fibre, aluminium and high-strength steels, which allows a significant weight reduction while offering a further considerable improvement in safety. A high-strength construction with crash-responsive protective systems within the doors allows the omission of B-pillars, as well as the use of wide gull-wing doors which allow convenient access to the four seats. In this way the Mercedes-Benz safety philosophy and in particular the decisive principle of the rigid passenger cell developed by Béla Barényi in 1952 are being concertedly taken forward for the future of individual mobility.
• A high-voltage lithium-sulphur battery with a specific energy density of 350 Wh per kg at cell level, which allows considerably higher recuperation rates in combination with the e4MATIC all-wheel drive.
• A control and display concept based on touch, speech and hand-gestures makes the F 125! a true “companion” with whom the driver is able to interact flexibly and effortlessly. The gull-wing doors of light-weight CRP construction can also be opened and closed by hand-gestures.
• Highly attractive displays using 3D and projector-beam technology to open up new visual possibilities.
• Next-generation, substantially networked telematics allow internet-based voice control, integration into social media and extensive remote control of vehicle settings and entertainment functions.
• Innovative assistance systems for lasting driver stress relief, e.g. Advanced Driving Assist for semi-autonomous driving.
• Trailblazing exterior and interior design based on a completely new saloon architecture.

Revolutionary: structural integrated hydrogen composite storage unit

To store the hydrogen as the fuel of the future, Mercedes engineers adapted a technology which is still the object of basic research. This opens up completely new perspectives with respect to the vehicle architecture and operating range. “The structural integrated hydrogen composite unit of the F 125! represents a real technological revolution, as it allows the hydrogen tank to be fully integrated into the bodyshell structure for the first time. In the future, vehicles with emission-free fuel cell drive systems could achieve the operating ranges of current diesel models with no loss of interior space,” says Prof. Dr. Thomas Weber. Based on the current level of know-how, Mercedes specialists consider it possible that they may develop this technology to series production level from 2025.

The tank integrated into the floor assembly has a capacity of around 7.5 kg of hydrogen. Compared to the high-pressure tanks in use today, the H2 tank potentially requires less installation space. This is because to withstand a pressure of up to 700 bar, current tanks need to be cylindrical in shape, and owing to this round cross-section there are inevitably “cavities” between tanks installed next to or above each other. In contrast, tanks that can be filled at a pressure of 30 bar or less can be better integrated into the bodyshell. At the same time they are able to act as “structural” components.

Lithium-sulphur battery: compact and powerful

A highly advanced, very powerful lithium-sulphur battery is envisaged for the F 125!. It has a storage capacity of 10 kWh and is installed behind the rear seats. Combining the fuel cell drive system with the innovative lithium-sulphur battery makes a total operating range of up to 1000 km possible, of which up to 50 km can be under battery-electric power alone. It can be inductively charged at “intelligent” charging stations, and the convenient charging process can be monitored by smartphone. When designing the F 125!, the developers worked on the assumption that by the time of its introduction into series production, this battery type will be capable of energy densities up to 350 Wh per kg. This would represent roughly a doubling of current performance. The real potentials of this technology are however the subject of basic research, and are still difficult to assess at present.

Further development of the fuel cell as an energy source

At the heart of the drive system lies a particularly powerful further development of the Mercedes-Benz fuel cell stack which has demonstrated its efficiency and day-to-day suitability e.g. in the successful B-Class F-CELL World Drive this year.

On 29 January, marking the 125th birthday of the automobile, Mercedes-Benz commenced the first circumnavigation of the globe with fuel cell powered electric cars in Stuttgart – covering more than 30,000 kilometres on four continents and through 14 countries. The three fuel cell powered B-Class cars and their backup vehicles returned safely to Stuttgart 125 days later.

The stack in the F 125!, which is further improved with respect to performance, consumption and practical suitability, provides the power for four powerful electric motors installed near the wheels, which ensure sporty, superior performance figures. All in all the modular e4MATIC system, which also uses improved drive components from the SLS AMG E-CELL, generates a continuous output of 170 kW (231 hp) and a peak output of 230 kW (313 hp).

This accelerates the F 125! to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds, with a top speed of 220 km/h. Nonetheless, NEDC fuel consumption is only 0.79 kilograms of hydrogen per 100 kilometres (= 2.7 litres diesel equivalent).

Always online, always connected: “@yourCOMAND”

With the visionary infotainment system “@yourCOMAND”, the F 125! provides an outlook on future Mercedes-Benz telematic systems. Its trailblazing features include:

In Natural Handling, operation is substantially by natural speech supplemented with touch and intuitive hand-gestures. In the interests of maximum driver-fitness and operating safety, the F 125! becomes the perfect, always alert companion for its driver and passengers. The possibilities go well beyond those of current systems. The driver can e.g. request news items that are tailored to his personal needs, and make specific, contextual enquiries, without removing his hands from the wheel. The COMAND of tomorrow also becomes proactive.

In the future, the driver will be able to start with the traffic report or retrieve personal messages before the selected music programme begins. The weather report will then automatically come on before the journey ends, for example. Thanks to the mood-based configuration function “Moods”, such individual adjustments will be completed in a matter of seconds in future. The F125! also opens up completely new dimensions when it comes to external commu-nication and the use of social networks. With the help of the Social Community Assistant, the driver alone can decide who is allowed to “disturb” him, or who receives information.

Thanks to the Seamless Experience functions, the multimedia systems of the F 125! are seamlessly and cross-functionally networked, socially interactive and non-distracting. The exchange of information is no longer impeded or interrupted on journeys, but is an integral part of the concept. Because of constant connectivity with the Cloud, the driver has seamless access to all the media he normally uses. The tedious synchronisation of different communication and entertainment devices is also completely eliminated. The so-called “digital lifestyle” of many customers can therefore be continued both seamlessly and safely when on board.

Sensory Perfection in the F 125! means high-end sound and high-resolution screens with brilliant, individual displays. If required, the autostereoscopic 3D display for spatial representation of the instrument cluster is able to show relevant information in clustered form. The 3D image adapts natural visual habits, allows a better overview and thus relieves the driver of stress. The head unit in the upper section of the centre console uses projector-beam technology, and is controlled via a touchpad with 3D fingertracking located within easy reach of the driver. In addition to the head unit, the integrated selection bar enables the instrument cluster and rear-view display to be selected. Activated in this way, these displays can also be centrally operated. A further, retractable 17-inch display is installed on the front passenger side, and this is fully controlled by hand gestures. In this way a rear passenger can select his personal film programme with no physical contact.

A high-resolution wide-image display allows the entire traffic situation behind the vehicle to be conveniently monitored, and makes exterior mirrors unnecessary. The image is adapted to human perceptive powers at all times, and once again provides a much clearer overview with more rapid and intuitive registration of the relevant traffic situation.

The vehicle and its multimedia system, as well as all applications and contents, can be completely remote-controlled using the Remote Convenience functions. This e.g. means that via the vehicle’s specific homepage, authorised individuals have access at all times to information such as the fuel level, next scheduled service or fuel consumption. Just as easily, a home PC or of course a smartphone can be used for remote configuration of the onboard navigation or entertainment system, and to select individual interior temperature settings for each seat.

New assistance systems: recognising dangers, travelling in style

With the help of innovative driver assistance systems, the touring saloon of the future defuses even “invisible” hazards and relieves driver stress in many standard situations. If the driver requires, the F 125! is able to carry out frequently occurring driving manoeuvres autonomously.

Advanced Driving Assist allows lane-changes on multi-lane, one-way roads, and in a further development stage even automatic overtaking manoeuvres.Thanks to radio-based networking with the environment, so-called Car-to-X communi-cation, the F 125! is also able to exchange information with other vehicles, a specially equipped infrastructure incl. traffic lights or warning signs and traffic control centres. Specific applications might include a warning of approaching emergency service vehicles, well before the driver can see or hear them, a reminder that other vehicles have the right of way at obscure road junctions, or obstacles on the road.

Mobility of the future – Utopias shaping our tomorrow

It was visionaries and dreamers who prepared the way for “automobility”. The first tentative steps were taken at the end of the 19th Century – in a techno-logical environment where the steam engine dominated the world of power generation. The steam locomotive added motion to this machine, and tracks were laid everywhere.

The idea of fitting coach-like vehicles with compact, fast-running internal combustion engines to make individual, easy and comfortable mobility possible beyond the railway tracks was seen as “utopian” at the time – i.e. synonymous with “science fiction” or “fantasy”.

Visionary engineers and utopians such as Carl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler, Wilhelm Maybach or Rudolf Diesel refused to be daunted, however. With the F 125! Mercedes-Benz is once again demonstrating this pioneering spirit.

F 125! – a specific outlook on the vision of emission-free driving

With the new Mercedes-Benz research vehicle, the vision of emission-free driving with large, luxurious automobiles takes on a concrete form. The F 125! shows that the mobility of the future is emission-free and sustainable, comfortable and visually very appealing. It embodies technical and design innovation, and shows the way towards a society able to cope without fossil fuels.

Technical data of the Mercedes-Benz F 125!

- By: Omar Rana

First up – the new Mercedes-Benz F125 Concept. The concept apparently hints at what the Mercedes-Benz CL will look like a little more than 20 years from now. Why Mercedes-Benz is thinking about more than 20 years from is a little beyond us.

Either way, for now we know that the concept is fuel-cell powered vehicle with four electric-motors helping it make 231-hp. That allows the Mercedes-Benz F125 Concept to go from 0 to 62 mph in just 4.9 seconds with a top speed of 137 mph. Total driving range comes in at 622 miles.

We’ll have more for you tomorrow or later today.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: OmniAuto

Dan Akerson, General Motors’ chairman and CEO has just said that he doesn’t think hydrogen fuel cells are practical for the near future and at least until 2020 in a recent interview.

“We’re looking at hydrogen fuel cells, which have no carbon emissions, zero. They’re very expensive now, but we’ve, just in the last two years, reduced the price of that technology by $100,000,” said Akerson. “The car is still too expensive and probably won’t be practical until the 2020-plus period, I don’t know. And then there’s the issue of infrastructure.”

Some of these issues are also attributed to the latest scares and controversies plaguing the US government’s potential for defaulting from the debt ceiling.

“I mean, if it were a perfect world, I’d like to see the United States not default, technical or otherwise, because I think that throws another level of uncertainty and instability into the system. And I mean, I’ve thought long and hard, and so has most of our management team, and a lot smarter people than we are, about what are the implications, what are the downstream impacts of the default?” Akerson continued.

These are some interesting words to hear from the American manufacturer who used to be a leader in innovation. Because in 2002, General Motors said that it was possible that hundreds of thousands of fuel cell vehicles could be on the road by 2010. And just recently they pioneered the first ever plug-in electric hybrid vehicle, which they think will some how be better than hydrogen fuel cells. Yea, not when you have to wait hours to recharge the battery, hence the range-extending motor aboard the Chevrolet Volt.

- By: Chris Chin

Source: Detroit News

I, like Honda, always said it. Hydrogen is our future. It has been a tough sell though because of the inefficient and expensive process to obtain, what is the most abundant and most combustible element on the face of the Earth: Hydrogen. Oh the irony.

BMW, Mercedes, GM and Honda have all released hydrogen fuel celled concepts, all of which were road worthy. So yes, they aren’t news. But what seemed to be unobtainium back in the day, is making its way into reality as Opel just recently announced that they’re working one themselves for release in 2015—part of a $15.8 billion investment in launching several new models by 2014.

This just came through a press release covering the Hungarian’s Prime Minister and EU Council Chairman Viktor Orban visit to Adam Opel AG.

Additionally, in the ssame press conference, Opel also announced that it will be introducing “three new engine families” that will consist of a small and medium sized gasoline engine, and a medium sized diesel that will be in compliance with Europe’s new Euro 6 emissions standards.

Opel Flextreme GT/E Concept:

- By: Chris Chin

Hyundai Blue2 Concept

At the 2011 Seoul Motor Show, Hyundai is showing the new Hyundai Blue2 Concept Car – otherwise known as the HND-6. The concept is a mid-size FCEV that shows the blueprint for future sedans.

Taking Hyundai into a alternative-drivetrain territory, the Blue2 Concept Car is powered by a fuel cell electric system that delivers a stack power of 90kW (120-hp) allowing a fuel economy of 34.9km/l. To help increase fuel-economy, the Hyundai Blue2 Concept is equipped with low-resistance tires and alloy wheels designed to improve aerodynamic performance.

So will Hyundai build the Blue2? Not really. Hyundai says that the “Blue2 concept aims to satisfy all the senses of future drivers, including the air they breathe.”

We definitely will see some of the technology and design cues make it to future production Hyundai vehicles. Also, if you look closely the Blue2 Concept carries Genesis badging instead of Hyundai badging, meaning we’ll see most of what you see here carried over to future Genesis vehicles from Hyundai.

Follow the jump for the high-res gallery and the press talk.

Hyundai Blue2 Concept:

Press Release:

At the 2011 Seoul Motor Show Hyundai Motor staged a world premiere of the Hyundai Blue2 concept car (codenamed HND-6), a mid-size FCEV which shows a blueprint for future sedans. The name ‘Blue2′ is a combination of Hyundai’s sub eco-brand ‘Blue Drive’ and the number `2′ from H2, the symbol for hydrogen gas.

Aiming at gaining early leadership of the FCEV market, Hyundai Blue2 concept is powered by a fuel cell electric system that delivers a stack power of 90kW (1.65kW/L) and fuel economy of 34.9km/l. The Blue2 is materialized in a sporty and luxurious style, a combination of futuristic, flowing designs and eco-friendly features. The Hyundai Blue2 concept is equipped with low-resistance tires and alloy wheels which are designed to improve aerodynamic performance, while the car’s interior design encompasses a futuristic look by using eco-friendly new materials.

Hyundai’s concept keywords for the exterior design are ‘Intersected Flow,’ featuring innovative and dynamic designs. The vehicle’s condition is visible via unique and futuristic images on the exterior of the car through outside LED screen panels, which are located on both the front and rear of the car. Blue2 also features a welcome system which recognizes the driver, while an automatic opening door system enhances the driver’s convenience. Conventional side mirrors are replaced by side cameras and a roof camera, offering a state-of-the-art driving environment.

The exterior designs flow inside the vehicle, with asymmetrically-designed dashboards and doors to optimize a driver’s convenience and add emotional value. Wider seats enable people to get in and out of the vehicle more comfortably.

Hyundai combined the cluster and center fascia, applying an advanced Transparent Organic Light Emitting Diode (TOLED) monitor and ultra-light tempered glass, called Gorilla® Glass, providing more accurate and vivid graphic information. The infotainment system is operated by a Motion Sensor Moustick, a haptic wheel and motion sensor that respond to the driver’s touch and hand movements, respectively, giving drivers a new experience.

Hyundai Blue2 concept aims to satisfy all the senses of future drivers, including the air they breathe: A cluster ionizer freshens the air inside the vehicle, while antibacterial genuine leather with leaf-shaped patterns, called ‘eco-graphic perforation,’ enhances an eco-friendly look and feel.

- By: Omar Rana

Kia Borrego FCEV Concept

Top Korean auto manufacturer Hyundai-Kia will begin low-volume production of at least one fuel cell vehicle within the next two years. Though it is still not known whether the vehicle will be a Hyundai or a Kia, it will definitely be a hydrogen-powered version of an existing model.

“There are already agreements between car makers such as ourselves and legislators in Europe, North America and Japan to build up to the mass production of fuel cell cars by 2015. Hydrogen production capacity and refueling infrastructure will be improved.”, said Byung Ki Ahn, GM of Hyundai-Kia”s Fuel Cell Group.

Ahn said that the early production fuel-cells will not be fully commercialized, as they will probably only be available for lease and not purchase, but that it will help the company in establishing their commercial production operation of 10,000 units per year starting in 2015.

The group has been developing its current fuel-cell technology since 2005 and has advanced immensely. The pride of the group’s hydrogen den is the Kia Borrego FCV, which was finished in 2008. It has a cruising range of 460 miles and operational life of approximately 10 years. Since 2004, 90% of the typical material cost has been cut from the power source.

Though no price has been suggested as of yet, Ahn says that Hyundai has a strong chance of producing the cheapest hydrogen vehicles of the next decade. He said that Toyota, which recently announced the expectations of building a $50,000 fuel-cell sedan, will have to produce 50,000 units a year to meet their price range. He is confident that Hyundai-Kia can beat that.

- By: Stephen Calogera

Source: Autocar

New Pilot Program to Create Fuel Cell Stations in Hawaii

General Motors said today that it is working with The Gas Company (TGC), Hawaii”s major gas energy provider, to power a ramp up of fuel-cell vehicles on the island of Oabhi where there is an abundance of hydrogen.

TGC produces hydrogen along with synthetic natural gas and delivers it in its utility gas stream. Through its proprietary separation process, TGC plans to tap into its 1,000-mile utility pipeline system at key locations and separate the hydrogen for use by local fueling stations for fuel cell vehicle owners.

“This is the type of enabler that a hydrogen transportation infrastructure needs because it addresses both the source of the hydrogen and a feasible way to deliver it for fuel cell vehicle use,” said Charles Freese, executive director of GM Global Fuel Cell Activities. “The Hawaii infrastructure could eventually support tens of thousands of fuel cell vehicles.

“Hawaii is uniquely positioned and motivated to make hydrogen-powered fuel cell transportation a reality because it depends on imported petroleum for 90 percent of its energy,” he said.

Hawaii is committed to reducing petroleum use by 70 percent through the use of renewable energy resources, conservation and efficiency. The use of hydrogen as a transportation fuel could be a key contributor.

GM has invested more than $1.5 billion in fuel-cell transportation in the last 15 years and is developing a production-intent fuel cell system that could be ready for use in vehicles by 2015. The company’s Chevrolet Fuel Cell vehicles are part of its Project Driveway, the world”s largest demonstration of fuel cell vehicles. The project has gathered nearly 1.4 million miles of real-world driving by thousands of people since 2007.

- By: Omar Rana

BMW has announced that it is testing a new hydrogen fuel-cell hybrid powertrain that could be used by the next-generation Mini and the front-wheel-drive BMW vehicles planned for 2014. The system combines a front-wheel-drive architecture, a hydrogen fuel-cell system, an electric-motor and a small gasoline engine.

Engineers say that the system is designed to allow compact vehicles to travel emissions-free in city areas. The company has already built functioning prototypes based on 1-Series hatchbacks converted to a front-wheel-drive architecture.

Power comes from a gasoline engine, a 5 kW (7-hp) hydrogen fuel-cell drivetrain and an 82 kW (110-hp) electric-motor.

The hydrogen fuel-cell system, which can fit in BMW and Mini models that are at least four meters long, has yet to be given the green light by BMW executives. The company still needs to make sure that hydrogen fuel-pumps will be available in most large city areas.

Follow the jump for the press release.

BMW 1-Series Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Hybrid Prototype:

Press Release:

The future of sheer driving pleasure.

Efficient Dynamics – from research to road.

The Efficient Dynamics development strategy provides the BMW Group with the world’s most efficient programme for reducing consumption and emission values in road traffic. The development of power systems with optimised efficiency, smart energy management in the vehicle, and aerodynamic measures form the key supporting aspects of this strategy, complementing lightweight construction throughout. BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH has made significant progress in all these areas since the company was established and the results have been channelled into the series development of many different new models.

Intensive fundamental research has also been carried out in the context of the development of innovative and alternative propulsion systems. The spectrum of research ranges from new concepts for the classic internal combustion engine, through hybrid technology and the deployment of hydrogen as a fuel in the vehicle, to electro-mobility. This demonstrates that research covers all the areas that today form the mainstays of the Efficient Dynamics development strategy.

In celebration of its 25th landmark birthday, BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH premiered the results of two projects designed to highlight innovative ways of significantly reducing consumption and emission values. These projects relate to a research vehicle with fuel-cell hybrid technology and a concept for using hydrogen technology by a device known as a reformer. The reformer facilitates strategic optimisation of the emission characteristics of internal combustion engines. These two projects offer solutions that are closely associated with the needs of drivers operating in everyday road conditions. The fuel-cell hybrid vehicle was designed with the objective of emission-free mobility in city traffic. The reformer technology allows significantly optimised emission values during the warming-up phase of the engine.

Fuel-cell hybrid technology for emission-free mobility in city traffic.

The fuel-cell hybrid vehicle launched by BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH offers a highly innovative form of hybrid technology developed within the framework of Efficient Dynamics. Moreover, the prototype developed on the basis of a BMW 1 Series car presents an innovative approach to the use of hydrogen as a fuel. The research vehicle has a four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor, as well as a small fuel cell in the form of an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU). The combination of an internal combustion engine with a fuel cell creates the possibility of using both drive technologies, each with optimised efficiency. Hydrogen offers the advantages of conventional fast refuelling and a long range. The size of the fuel cell means it is ideal for use at low speeds, whereas the performance benefits of the internal combustion engine come into their own when the vehicle has to cover long distances at higher speed, delivering the masterly overall performance so typical of BMW. In city traffic, the electrical energy generated by the APU is continuously supplied to high- performance capacitors (supercaps) which have outstanding high power density and cycle robustness. These supercaps cover the performance peaks for acceleration and taking off at traffic lights. The electric motor assumes the function of a generator during coasting and braking phases and feeds electrical energy back to the supercaps. This regenerative braking energy is then available for the subsequent acceleration phases and further reduces consumption. The objective of the researchers in the next stage of expansion is to increase the range provided by electric motive power to several hundred kilometres in city traffic.

All drive components were configured as optimised packages in the 3-door BMW 1 Series. The APU is positioned under the engine bonnet together with the internal combustion engine, the electric motor takes the place of the rear axle differential and drives the rear wheels. An output of 82 kW and a high torque that engages right from a standing start deliver the sporty handling typical of BMW. The supercapacitor battery instead of the gearbox and conventional drive train is mounted in the central tunnel. The force of the 88 kW petrol engine acts on the front wheels. A reduced petrol tank leaves space for the hydrogen tank. This configuration means that no constraints are placed on the interior space of the research vehicle by contrast with the series model. The standard five seats are provided. Moreover, the weight of the fuel-cell hybrid vehicle is only just above the value for a corresponding series model.

BMW has been developing fuel-cell technology since 1997.

The low-temperature PEM (Polymer Electrolyte Membrane) fuel-cell technology has been researched and developed at BMW since 1997. Right from the beginning, the research concentrated on application as an APU with comparatively compact dimensions and a maximally low weight. The hydrogen concept vehicle BMW 750hL presented as early as 2000 had a fuel cell as a source of on-board electricity. The researchers believed that using the small fuel cell for the supply of on-board electricity was the most cost- effective scenario in conjunction with the internal combustion engine for launching the technology.

Meanwhile, BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH is already bringing the fourth generation of APU units on stream. Apart from the increase in service life under automobile load cycles to the current level of 5000 hours, the complexity of the system has gradually been reduced and a robust fuel-cell unit has been created. This simple system effectively operates at ambient pressure and achieves an efficiency of 58 percent for the system over a broad performance spectrum. The special design enables rapid changes in load, such as those occurring during the APU application, from virtually idle to full loading within the space of five milliseconds.

One of the most important issues relating to introduction of the low-temperature PEM fuel cell is the capability to start under frosty conditions after a long period without use at temperatures below freezing. An ingenious cell design means the external moistening of the gases can be omitted so that the system is in a position to supply the vehicle with energy after a period of only 30 seconds. Intensive tests, in some cases on extremely steep gradients, demonstrated that there was no degradation after several hundred frost starts. This confirms that the technology is ready for use in vehicles on
the road.

APU supplies the on-board power – and also provides drive energy for the first time.

The APU supplies the energy necessary for the on-board power supply in the fuel-cell hybrid vehicle, as was already the case in the BMW 750hL. All the units consuming electricity can be supplied in this manner, without having to tap the power of the internal combustion engine. This energy management concept also allows sophisticated comfort features to be displayed. For example, the fuel-cell hybrid vehicle can be fitted with an effective system providing air-conditioning while standing still and it offers virtually unlimited, emission-free energy supply for infotainment applications. The ongoing advance of the small fuel cell also achieves a premiere by using electricity generated from hydrogen for forward propulsion. The combination of the APU (providing a small but continuous output) and the back-up storage in the supercaps (delivering high outputs over a short period) achieves a highly efficient yet marketable drive system, specially designed for city trips.

Reformer technology: fewer emissions during cold start.

The BMW Group possesses unique know-how in the use of hydrogen. The projects based on this technology being pursued by BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH include the use of hydrogen in internal combustion engines as well as its application in a fuel cell. Hydrogen can also be used with the aim of optimising the emission behaviour of conventional petrol and diesel engines. BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH presents a particularly effective solution in this area in the form of reformer technology in an otherwise standard 5-door BMW 1 Series.

The ambitious emission limits mean that the initial seconds after a cold start present a particularly difficult scenario, because catalytic converters only achieve maximum effect after they have been heated to a specific temperature. The reformer technology intervenes precisely at this point and significantly reduces the level of engine out emissions that are generated during a cold start.

Synthesis gas obtained from liquid fuel is free of residues.

Reformer technology can be used in petrol and diesel engines. The system comprises a mixing zone, an injection valve, a spark plug and a special catalytic converter where fuel is partially oxidised with a limited supply of oxygen. The catalytic process that is initiated in this way selectively splits hydrocarbon chains (CxHy) to generate a synthesis gas with a proportion of approximately 21 percent hydrogen and approximately 24 percent carbon monoxide. This synthesis gas is then supplied to the conventional intake manifold of the engine by selectively delivering it into the cylinders via air assisted injection valves. This mixture can completely replace conventional fuel while the engine and catalyst system is warming up. Since the gas mixture burns with virtually no residues, the critical phase for emission behaviour immediately after a cold start is transformed by reformer technology into a particularly clean operating mode. The lower efficiency of the reforming process is the only disadvantage of using the synthesis gas generated from fuel compared with continuous operation of the internal combustion engine. When combustion of the gas occurs, 15 to 20 percent of the original fuel-energy content is converted into heat. However, this side effect is particularly useful during the warming-up phase. The heat generated in the reformer heats up the engine faster than during operation with petrol or diesel fuel for the increase in engine efficiency as a result of a reduction in frictional losses and complete and very stable combustion.

The reformer system presented in the research vehicle is currently equivalent to the status of a prototype. However, series development is still precluded by the need to reduce the size of the components and the weight of currently some five kilograms to a maximum of one and a half kilos, while optimising the characteristic properties of the system at the same time. Once these requirements have been met, the system could also be used to replace the auxiliary heater currently used in diesel engines or for regenerating the particle filter and for selective catalytic reduction (SCR catalysis) of nitrogen oxides NOx). The expense for the exhaust treatment used to date is then reduced accordingly.

Hybrid concepts: More efficiency, more driving pleasure – right from the start.

BMW Forschung and Technik GmbH has carried out intensive and fundamental research in order to lay the foundations for many of the standard efficiency enhancement technologies used in BMW automobiles today. Comprehensive, thorough and wide-ranging research at an early stage makes a significant contribution to the outstanding know-how of the BMW Group in the area of drive technology. The BMW ActiveHybrid technology available in BMW series vehicles today also owes its unique qualities not least to the experience in this area gathered by researchers over a period spanning more than 15 years.

The BMW ActiveHybrid 7 and the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 are the first two models of the brand available in 2010 to use a combination of internal combustion engine and electric motor. Each model deploys a unique platform of BMW ActiveHybrid technology while also presenting a characteristic homogeneity: BMW ActiveHybrid presents tangibly enhanced dynamic driving accompanied by significantly reduced consumption and emission values. This twin-track advance is manifested in the BMW EfficientDynamics development strategy, and from the start it shaped the ground-breaking work carried out by BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH in hybrid technology. Hybrid technology in the style of BMW advances efficiency and intensifies driving pleasure.

Development of hybrid technology since the 1990s.

The hybrid concept car based on the BMW 5 Series and developed in 1994 already facilitated fully electric and hence emission-free driving with characteristic features optimised for city traffic. The car’s power-unit technology configured as a parallel hybrid drive combined an 83 kW four- cylinder petrol engine with an electric drive that develops peak output of 26 kW and a maximum torque of 165 newton metres. This research vehicle was already designed as a Full Hybrid, in other words it permits emission-free driving only using the electric drive in city traffic. The energy stored in a nickel metal hydride battery with a capacitance of 3.5 kilowatt hours was sufficient to power the car over a range of eleven kilometres in purely electric drive mode. An Auto Start Stop function was also integrated which switches the internal combustion engine off automatically when the car is stationary at junctions or standing in traffic jams outside suburban areas, in order to prevent unnecessary fuel consumption during the idle phase. Today, hybrid technology in the BMW 5 Series is more relevant to the modern world than ever before. It is well on the way to series maturity, as demonstrated at the Geneva Motor Show in 2010 when the BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid was featured and bore impressive testimony to the technology.

Within the space of just one year, the researchers had developed another hybrid concept vehicle and yet again extended the range of the vehicle solely under electric power. The BMW 3 Series with serial hybrid technology was also primarily intended for city traffic and was able to travel a distance of 38 kilometres using a sodium nickel chloride battery with the internal combustion engine switched off. The drive train is comprised of an internal combustion engine using petrol as a fuel and two synchronised electric motors. One of them provides the propulsion generating a peak output of 35 kW, and the other motor with maximum output of 32 kW carries out the function of a generator within the system. This research vehicle was also equipped with an Auto Start Stop function.

Researchers presented a hybrid vehicle based on the first generation of the BMW X5 in 2001, and they thus demonstrated the progress that had so far been made in the area of drive and energy-storage technology by the start of the new millennium. This study combined an eight-cylinder petrol engine and an asynchronous electric motor to generate a maximum combined torque of 1000 newton metres at 1000 min-1. The most important additional innovation was the use of the double-layer capacitors known as supercaps, which are deployed to store energy with a particularly high capacitance of 650 kWs. In addition to highlighting efficiency benefits, this research vehicle also gave a particularly impressive demonstration of the potential of hybrid technology for bringing about a significant increase in driving dynamics.

The BMW Concept X3 EfficientDynamics consistently progressed development of supercaps integrated in the side sills. The technology was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2005. The specialists at BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH were also able to present new solutions for integrating the internal combustion engine and electric motor. The electric motor with a maximum output of 60 kW installed in the BMW Concept X3 EfficientDynamics was integrated in a compact active transmission together with the power electronics. The range of the electric power unit could be expanded using the option of an additional nickel metal-hydride battery. The hybrid technology was again used to optimise efficiency as well as to intensify the driver’s level of driving dynamics. The precisely synchronised interaction of the six-cylinder in-line petrol engine with direct injection and the electric motor achieved enhanced fuel efficiency amounting to some 20 percent. A torque of 600 newton metres generated by the two drive sources was available to power particularly dynamic acceleration manoeuvres. This powered the BMW Concept X3 EfficientDynamics from a standing start to 100 km/h in just 6.7 seconds and enabled the car to achieve a top speed of 235 km/h.

Option for the future, available now owing to intensive research: hydrogen as fuel.

Over the long term, the BMW Group is also committed to using hydrogen as a fuel in vehicles. The use of hydrogen produced with assistance from renewable energy sources offers the option of future emission-free mobility. The capability of this power-unit technology for everyday use has already been demonstrated with the BMW Hydrogen 7. This car passed through the complete series development process before being manufactured as a limited series. The world’s first hydrogen-powered luxury saloon for use under everyday conditions is powered by a bivalent twelve-cylinder internal combustion engine and has been made available to selected customers worldwide. Meanwhile, the model produced as a limited series of 100 vehicles has covered at total of more than four million kilometres across the world. On the way to the BMW Hydrogen 7, the specialists at BMW Group Research and Technology set up a large number of research projects and concept vehicles, leading to a much better understanding of hydrogen technology and the framework conditions for use in the automobile. A precursor to the BMW Hydrogen 7 was presented in 2000 as the BMW 750hL and used as a shuttle vehicle at the EXPO2000 World Exhibition in Hanover. The BMW 750hL then drove more than 170 000 kilometres in a practical test during the “Clean Energy World Tour”.

Other pioneering achievements were provided by the BMW H2R hydrogen record vehicle. In September 2004, the model powered by a twelve-cylinder engine set up nine international records for hydrogen-powered vehicles with an internal combustion engine at the BMW test track in Miramas, France. The 210 kW/286 hp engine achieved a top speed of more than 300 km/h.

Other innovations in hydrogen technology being driven forward by BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH include a variably shaped tank with optimised weight for storing hydrogen in the vehicle. The free-form tank made of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic and developed jointly with partners from the aerospace industry is used to store liquid hydrogen. The variable shape enables the fuel tank to be integrated flexibly within a range of different vehicle concepts. The weight of the tank has been reduced to one third of the weight of an equivalent conventional cylindrical tank. When filled with around 10 kilograms of hydrogen, the free-form tank integrated in an appropriate vehicle would permit a range of more than 500 kilometres.

Because the infrastructure of fuelling stations will not be starting with complete coverage to permit hydrogen to be used as a single source, bivalent engines provide an initial solution. These engines can run on hydrogen and petrol. BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH has successfully confirmed the potential of the monovalent combustion process as regards output and efficiency – for example with the H2R. This process is optimised without compromise for hydrogen.

The particularly powerful hydrogen-powered four-cylinder cryogenic engine was developed in a joint project between BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH and BMW M GmbH. This engine is based on the four-cylinder engine of the BMW M3 first generation, although it is already fitted with components from the advanced development of one of the two cylinder banks of the V8 engine currently incorporated in the latest M3. A special feature of this drive unit is the mixture formation for super-chilled hydrogen developed by the researchers during the course of this project. On the test rig, the engine achieved a specific output of 67 kW per litre of displacement and set a benchmark for hydrogen-powered aspirated engines.

Another example of the intensive basic research in the area of drive systems is provided by the modular single-cylinder hydrogen engine developed especially for thermodynamic analyses. The HyICE research project sponsored by the European Commission developed a hydrogen-powered engine with the typical geometry of an Otto engine between 2004 and 2007, which generates a specific output of 100 kW per litre of displacement. Another version designed with the geometry typical of a diesel engine was developed between 2007 and 2009, and this power unit has a particularly favourable efficiency. An effective efficiency of 43 percent achieved the level of advanced diesel engines and was virtually free of pollutants.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: BMW (via WCF, AutoCar)

General Motors’ Project Driveway, which involves 120 Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell electric vehicles, was set up to see how hydrogen fuel-cell powered vehicles adapt to the real world and if customers will be able to use them as daily drivers.

One of the more impressive aspects of the Project Driveway project was to see if these fuel-cell electric vehicles hold up to accidents. According to Charlie Freese, who is in charge of GM’s fuel-cell program, five of GM’s hydrogen fuel-cell powered Equinox units have been involved in accidents and none have resulted in a catastrophic hydrogen explosion.

Freese says that all models are designed to withhold accidents so the tanks will leak in a jet of flame if ruptured and ignited – meaning the vehicle won’t explode.

GM announced yesterday that it is testing a “production-intent” hydrogen fuel-cell system that can fit in the space of a 4-cylinder engine and be ready for commercial production by 2015.

- By: Kap Shah

Source: DriveOn

General Motors announced yesterday that it is testing a “production-intent” hydrogen fuel-cell system that can fit in the space of a 4-cylinder engine and be ready for commercial production by 2015. The Detroit automaker said that the system is half the size, 220 lbs lighter and uses about a third of the platinum of the system in the current Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell electric vehicles used in Project Driveway.

The intent is to package the new hydrogen fuel-cell system in more compact vehicles.

“Our learning from Project Driveway has been tremendous and these vehicles have been very important to our program,” Charles Freese, executive director of GM’s Global Fuel Cell Activities told reporters Tuesday at a news briefing on GM”s fuel cell progress. “The 30 months we committed to the demonstration are winding down, but we will keep upgrades of these vehicles running and will continue learning from them while we focus efforts on the production-intent program for 2015.

He said that some of the 119 fuel-cell electric-vehicles used in Project Driveway will receive hardware and software upgrades and will become part of a demo program with the U.S. Department of energy. Other will be driven by business, while a few ill be used to show that with proper fueling infrastructure, hydrogen fuel cells are a viable alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles.

“We will continue to use the Project Driveway fleet strategically to advance fuel cell technology, hydrogen infrastructure, and GM’s vehicle electrification goals,” Freese said.

GM said that the first long-term loan of the new-look Chevy fuel cell vehicle will be given to Stephanie White, a fuel cell advocate who was among the first Project Driveway participants and regularly blogs on her vision for a hydrogen economy in which zero-pollution fuel cells are a mainstream source of transportation.

It’s crazy what a little blogging will get you.

- By: Omar Rana

Daimler AG plans on doubling its investment in green technologies in the next two years for its Mercedes-Benz unit, which will roll out plug-in hybrids and fuel-cell vehicles in every segment over the next few years. The company plans on spending $1.4 billion in each of the next two years to develop batteries and fuel-efficient engines.

Thomas Weber, head of Daimler’s R&D department said that the company will create a “flexible architecture so we can install the right powertrain for each customer — plug-in hybrid or pure electric fuel cell.”

He said that Mercedes-Benz also has plans to add more fuel-efficient gasoline and diesel engines in expanding its electric options.

The new F800 Style Concept that made its debut in Geneva last week, showed a lot of upcoming green technologies from Mercedes-Benz.

Click here for our original post on the F800 Style Concept to learn more about Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming green technologies.

Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept:

- By: Kap Shah

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

Nissan announced today that it will be leasing its X-TRAIL Fuel-Cell Vehicle to Sacramento’s Coca-Cola Bottling Company for one year, with an option for two additional years.

“Sacramento already has the beginning of a hydrogen infrastructure in place, and Sacramento Coca-Cola has a track record of utilizing low emissions cars, so the two companies share a green philosophy as well as a common love of things “˜zero”,” said Eric Noziere, vice president, Corporate Planning, NNA.

The zero emissions Nissan X-TRAIL FCV will promote the Coca-Cola Zero soda and will be used for sales calls and public events.

“Any 5th grade math student can tell you that 0+0+0=0, yet in this case zero (carbs) plus zero (calories) plus zero (emissions) adds up to a great partnership and a great way to promote both the Nissan and Coca-Cola Zero® brands,” added Noziere.

Just in case you guys didn’t get that. zero carbs + zero calories + zero emissions = 0.

Nissan Coca-Cola Zero X-TRAIL FCV:

Press Release:

Nissan Announces First Fuel Cell Vehicle Lease in North America; “Coca-Cola Zero®” X-TRAIL FCV Promotes Zero Emissions

Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) today announced the lease of an X-TRAIL Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) to Sacramento Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Inc. Nissan, which began development of fuel cell vehicle technology in 1996, has previously used FCVs in demonstration fleets in Japan and in California through the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP), but this is Nissan”s first commercial FCV lease in North America. The Sacramento Coca-Cola lease is for one year, with an option for two additional years.

The zero emissions X-TRAIL FCV will be used by the bottler for sales calls and public events in the Sacramento area in promotion of its Coca-Cola Zero® soft drink. “This is a big step in furthering our commitment to environmental sustainability,” said Bob Brown, executive vice president of Sacramento Coca-Cola. “We are really excited about the promise of fuel cell technology.”

Nissan”s comprehensive fuel cell research and development program is part of a range of eco-friendly technologies ““ including FCVs, electric vehicles, hybrid and improved internal combustion engines ““ being pursued under the Nissan Green Program 2010, a plan focused on developing new technologies, products and services leading to real-world reductions in CO2 emissions, cleaner emissions and expanded recycling of resources.

The Nissan X-TRAIL FCV is based on the X-TRAIL SUV, which is available in Mexico, Japan and Europe. It is fitted with a Nissan-developed compact fuel cell stack, a compact Lithium-ion battery and a high-pressure hydrogen storage cylinder. Performance is close to that of a similarly sized internal combustion engine-based vehicle. Versions of this generation X-TRAIL FCV are capable of speeds in excess of 95 miles per hour, with a cruising range of up to 300 miles.

Sacramento-based Nissan X-TRAIL FCVs have already logged nearly 300,000 miles in ongoing internal tests, with one vehicle very close to the 100,000-mile mark. “The future of sustainable mobility will depend on the simultaneous development of many technologies. Test programs like Sacramento Coca-Cola X-TRAIL FCV lease help us keep our momentum going in this arena, even as we”re getting ready to roll out the new Nissan LEAF electric vehicle in the next year,” said Noziere.

In addition to the current generation X-TRAIL FCV, Nissan earlier this year announced testing of a next-generation fuel cell stack that is 25 percent smaller than the current model and will be less expensive to build. Nissan North America recently opened a new Fuel Cell Laboratory at the Nissan Technical Center in Farmington Hills, Mich. The new lab will support other global Nissan research centers and will work with suppliers and universities on various related fuel cell projects.

“We are delighted to have this opportunity to team up with Nissan to employ zero-emissions technology in a real life business setting,” said Don Quinn, Director of Operations for Sacramento Coca-Cola. “What better way to showcase zero-emissions technology than with North America”s most popular new zero-calorie soft drink?”

For more information on Nissan Green 2010 activities, please go to www.nissan-global.com/EN/ENVIRONMENT/GREENPROGRAM_2010.

While there is a lot of hype around GM’s Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid vehicle, GM is out to remind us that it is still making progress on its fuel-cell vehicle program. The Detroit automaker said that it is making significant developments towards building advanced hydrogen fuel-cell designs that will result in more affordable hydrogen-powered vehicles.

Currently, GM’s Project Driveway, which was launched in 2007, consists of more than 100 Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell electric vehicles.

“The vehicles were hand-built, making them very expensive, but the builds helped establish a new supplier community and resolved many technical challenges,” said GM’s Executive Director, Fuel Cell Activities Charles Freese.

“It is still expensive, but the costs are coming down dramatically,” Freese said. “Our next-generation fuel-cell architecture is 220 pounds lighter, uses about half the parts and roughly a third of the precious metals, compared to the still impressive [Chevrolet] Equinox demonstration vehicles.”

- By: Omar Rana

Source: GM FastLane Blog