General Motors is planning on having vehicles powered by fuel cells in dealership showrooms by 2012. GM's target is presently the most aggressive of any other car manufacturer.
Larry Burns, GM's vice president of research and development, has just completed a 300-mile trek in a fuel-cell powered Chevrolet Sequel on one tank of hydrogen. He said that this was the first fuel-cell vehicle ever to drive 300 miles on a single tank of hydrogen on public roads. The Chevrolet Sequel test-mule is an SUV that can carry up to eight kilograms of hydrogen, the equivalent of 16 gallons regular fuel, is powered by lithium-ion batteries.GM is planning to deliver 100 units of their next fuel-cell vehicles, the Chevrolet Equinox, to specific consumers by the final quarter of 2008. GM is also working on the production version of the Chevrolet Volt, which debuted in Detroit, by 2009.