http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...14/1024/STATIC

 

Not too seem like senseless GM bashing, but....jeez, 6 years late to the party (and counting) and this is supposed to be exciting news?

 

maybe for hybrids but I cant think of any production fuel cell vehicles...

 

Lutz is talking about series hybrid vehicles. That's a very logical step towards a fuel-cell vehicle.

 

This makes a lot of sense. In fact, if fuel cell vehicles ever do become mainstream I think you'll always see a battery pack included in the package to reclaim braking energy and to provide extra boost when maximum power is required. The hardware is pretty much all there, it'd cost relatively little to add the batteries, plus you'd save money by requiring a smaller fuel cell.

 

Like it was said above, this isnt the same set up that the prius uses. If they can get anything like this to the street it will be exciting news. But no, not if they get it to the street 6 years after toyota, or someone else does. But i dont see that happening under the current managment. They seem to know what needs to be done and how bad it is needed.

 

So how exactly is a series hybrid setup different from a prius? Is there no traditional driveline, with the gas engine providing only battery charge and then the battery power propells the car? No transmission or differential to worry about could take away a lot of packaging limitations of regular cars.

 

And noting GM's previous history of the electric car, aka the EV1 that was put out in the 90's and had to get mothballed, GM most likely already has most of the technology developed to get this working in terms of driveline and controls - and since the EV1 the batteries and control systems have only gotten better. I'm kinda excited to see what comes out of this...