Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell Fleet Helps Drive Cleaner 2010 Winter Games

Press release
Source: General Motors

Vancouver, BC - The Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games got a little greener today with the launch of the zero emission Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell demonstration fleet that will operate in Vancouver until the end of the Games.

Four Equinox fuel cell vehicles are on the ground today and ready for test drives, with another four expected in the coming weeks. The fleet will transport a wide array of people, including the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) representatives, media, athletes, government representatives and everyday Vancouver drivers, to experience the benefits of hydrogen fuel cells and to see just how far GM's fuel cell research has advanced.


“With the only emissions being wisps of water vapour, these vehicles are a perfect match for VANOC’s sustainability goals and they nicely complement the broad range of fuel efficient technologies featured in the vehicle fleet we have supplied for the 2010 Games.” said Matt Crossley, GM Canada’s director of engineering. “We are genuinely excited to allow the people of British Columbia experience this viable green technology first-hand.”

“We are fortunate to have found a partner in GM Canada who shares in our values of sustainability, creativity and excellence,” said John Furlong, VANOC CEO. “VANOC is very proud to use the spotlight of the Games to highlight the cutting edge “clean” technology of these impressive hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.”

The Chevrolet Fuel Cell Equinox is Canadian engineered and manufactured and became part of the world’s largest consumer fuel cell demonstration fleet. Launched in November of 2007 in three U.S. cities, the fleet is comprised of 115 Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles. More than 5,000 consumer drives have occurred since the launch, racking up over 1.7 million kilometres of gasoline and tailpipe pollution-free driving, saving more than 189,000 litres of gasoline.

As a National Partner, GM Canada’s commitment to the 2010 Winter Games includes the contribution of an extensive fleet of environmentally friendly vehicles. The fleet will include over 4,600 fuel efficient sedans, passenger vans, SUVs and trucks from Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac and more than 30 percent of these will have advanced green technologies.

These include on-road technologies like hybrid systems, flex fuel capability and active fuel management systems that make GM vehicles serious contributors to reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, and ultimately, a perfect fit for use by Games’ organizers and volunteers leading up to and during the 2010 Winter Games.

GM’s commitment will also include the addition of two Chevrolet Volts in February. The Volt is Chevrolet’s extended range electric vehicle that can travel up to 65km on a single charge before its range extending generator kicks in providing energy to power the car.