Other Automakers Have Been Invited to Take Part in the Project
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| GM's HydroGen3 boasts the highest range of any road-approved fuel cell vehicle in Japan. Pictured unveiling the car are Raymond Grigg, Chairman and CEO, Representative Director, General Motors Japan Ltd. (left) and David J. Ross, Vice President, North Pacific Region, Federal Express Corporation. (Photo: General Motors) |
General Motors and BMW announced yesterday that they have joined forces to develop refueling devices for liquid hydrogen vehicles. The plan will hopefully include other automakers and suppliers to join in.
"We want to accelerate the progress being made on the distribution and on-board storage of liquid hydrogen as the future fuel," stated Dr. Lawrence Burns, GM's vice president of Research and Development and Planning. "Both compressed and liquid hydrogen hold promise to be used in hydrogen vehicles. The density of hydrogen in a liquid state is especially attractive with respect to fuel distribution and vehicle range."
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| A BMW 750hL is being filled at a fully automated hydrogen refuelling station that tops up the tank from empty in less than five minutes. (Photo: BMW AG) |
Initially, setting up global standards will be the key focus with supplier relationships, especially in fuel delivery, taking an important role. Christoph Huss, BMW's head of Science and Traffic Policy, wants to find the best technical and cost effective solutions to delivering the technology to consumers.
"In the long term, we are expecting a nationwide network of 10,000 hydrogen filling stations in Germany," Huss said. "Even today, however, we have to start working on a standard so that customers will not be confronted with various systems. Standardizing the refueling coupler is a must. Liquid hydrogen provides the most convenient way in transporting hydrogen fuel before a hydrogen pipeline infrastructure is in place. By teaming together, we will help bring about the liquid hydrogen infrastructure faster."