GM's new Hy Wire car -- BBC test drive

[kenvlach]

http://www.youtube.com/v/ry6w3mRm-FM

[after 50 seconds on the Maxda RX-8]
Notice that the steering wheel 'thingy' moves to LHS or RHS for US or UK drivers.
Hydrogen stored beneath passenger compartment, fuel cell in rear, electric motor in front.

Prototype only. In 10 years?

 

[TStaples]

kenvlach,

From 2001 through late last year, I was the engineering manager at a GM supplier. I oversaw the design and development of many of the components that went into the high pressure H2 fuel storage and delivery systems for GM. We company I worked for did the system for the Hy-Wire, the follow-up program, called the Sequel by GM, and the "production-ish" version that debuts in 2007. The intial run will be 100+ vehicles, which really isn't production if you come from the high volume side of automotive. (I used to manage a fuel injection mfg. operation where we produced thousands of units per shift!) However, it's a start.

The production vehicles will be based on a modifed Equinox/Vue platform, and won't have the trick SKF drive-by-wire system (the steering wheel "thingy" as it was referred to in the video.), but they will be fuel cell powered, and will have reasonable range (200-300 miles per fill.) The 10 years to 20 years to production is feasible, but still assumes that costs will fall as volume increases in the manufacturing of the critical components (carbon fiber tanks, high pressure H2 valves, anode controllers, fuel cell stacks, etc. . .)

Did you have specific technical questions? Much of the technical work I did is very proprietary, but I may be able to answer some questions.

-Tony Staples

http://www.tscombustion.com