GM loaned me a Fuel Cell Chevrolet Hi all, New member here. General Motors has just lent me one of their Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles as part of the project driveway program. I thought this forum may have an interest in hearing about my experiences with it. So far, it's pretty neat. It's not as silent as a Volt or a Prius (when on battery alone) since there are hydrogen injectors and cooling systems all over the place, but it's still quieter than an ICE vehicle. So far, it's averaging the equivalent of 54mpg (not bad for an SUV!) and the performance is remarkable. This next month is going to be a blast!
1) How is the weight compare to a similar ICE SUV version? 2) Any idea how long the fuel cell stack is supposed to last? 3) Where do you get the hydrogen?
1) I believe it's about 250lbs heavier than the standard Equinox, and that includes an extensive use of Carbon Fiber. Keep in mind that it not only has three hydrogen tanks, but also a battery pack. 2)This stack has been in use for 14,000 miles. Others I've seen with much more than that, but I don't know of an exact life expectancy 3)At a regular Shell station in DC. They have a pump for Hydrogen at two different pressure levels. This vehicle can utilize the maximum: 10,000psi.
10,000 pounds ... WOW! Compressed tanks contain a device called a 'burst disk' that prevents explosions in the case of over pressurization. I wonder what pressure it pops at, if the tank is rated at 10K. .
What's the range for Equinox Fuel Cell? Toyota FCHV-adv also has 10,000 PSI tank. It has 431 miles range. FCHV-adv spec: TOYOTA: News Releases
About 220 miles for this generation. They're coming out with a new one this year that operates more like a hybrid (using the batteries for low speed propulsion power), so I'm guessing the range will get even better. Commute is bumper to bumper for five miles. However, the average also includes about 15-20 miles of driving 50-65mph (not steady).
What is the cost for a 'tank' full of Hydrogen? Very cool that you are getting a chance to test drive a fuel cell vehicle, grats!
I'll see if I can find out. I don't even think Shell knows. I just put in a PIN and start fueling. The pump doesn't have an information regarding the monetary value of the hydrogen.
As I understand it, the battery pack is used on initial start up when the fuel cell isn't fully ready and also during periods of peak power demand. You can also start the vehicle in "Valet Mode," which means it's running only on the battery and the fuel cell never "starts." That's only for short duration use, such as moving around in parking lots or the like.
Did you just sign up on GM's web site a year or so ago when they were looking for people in the DC area?
It's a small SUV, so it's not really much of an oversized Pig. About the size of a RAV4. It's is heavy, but that's the price of new technology, I guess. Still, 54miles/kg is pretty nifty, so the weight isn't hurting it too much. It's part of a program to get real-world feedback. I do not work for GM. Right, it's part of the Project Driveway program. I was in the right area at the right time and I guess I fit what they were looking for. I also took the time to go to events since this is a big area of interest for me. Everyone at GM has been so nice.
congrats on your selection. so i take it by being here, GM is not restricting any info about the car? post some pics@!! i know there is a forum restrictions for new users, so make about 50 one letter posts so u can show us what you are drving, controls, displays, etc.
As Tom pointed out, the car is not powered directly from the FC stack. That is unless it is totally unique in this way, and there have been leaps in the tech that I'm not aware of. All FCVs to date are battery cars. The traction power comes from the batteries, and the batteries are recharged by the FC stack. (And this is why it is so silly to hear the pro-FC/anti-BEV crowd talking about how terrible BEVs are because they have to haul around all those batteries... and the disposal... and replacement cost, etc). The FC stack simply can't serve up the power fast enough to accelerate the way we expect modern cars to perform.
I was mistaken, the pump does have a monetary display, but the number chosen per kilogram is an arbitrary number based on the equivalent price of fuel at the time. So, the fillup today of 1.5 kilograms said $9 I think. It's not actually based on the cost of the hydrogen.
