GM, U.S. Army to Test Fuel Cell-Powered Chevrolet Colorado

Honda and Toyota aren’t the only companies developing fuel-cell technologies. General Motors and the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development & Engineering Center (TARDEC) are modifying a Chevrolet Colorado to run on fuel-cell power. The truck, shown below in a teaser photo, will be used for a year to determine whether hydrogen power could work on the battlefield.
The Chevrolet Colorado has been toughened and will be subjected to “extreme” military use to see how a fuel-cell power source can withstand tough use. Advantages for a fuel-cell military vehicle, TARDEC and GM say, include the vehicles’ near-silent operation when compared to internal combustion engines, as well as the low-end torque of electric motors and the ability of the fuel cell stack to serve as an electricity source.
Chevrolet Colorado Fuel Cell Vehicle Teaser

There’s also one somewhat unexpected benefit: Because fuel-cell vehicles emit pure water, as a result of the chemical reaction that produces electricity, they could serve as a water source when operating in the desert.

More details on the experimental Chevrolet Colorado fuel-cell vehicle will be announced later. Chevrolet previously experimented with fuel cell technology in 2007, when it launched a fleet of 119 Equinox crossovers powered by hydrogen fuel cells. The cars were driven a total of 3 million miles by more than 5,000 customers.

The standard Chevrolet Colorado is pictured.

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