GM and FedEx test fuel cell vehicles in Japan

Automotive Industries,  Jan, 2003  

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Federal Express Corp. and General Motors Corp. announced a joint program to conduct the first commercial test of a fuel cell vehicle in Japan. FedEx will participate in GM's HydroGen3 fuel cell testing program for one year by operating the HydroGen3 on its normal delivery schedules in the Tokyo area from June 2003 to June 2004.

GM's HydroGens is the first fuel cell vehicle fueled with liquid hydrogen to run on public roads in Japan, the company says. GM will collect and analyze the data gained from the FedEx Express operation to determine how its fuel cell vehicles operate under demanding, real-world commercial driving conditions. GM will collect data from FedEx and will provide all vehicle engineering and maintenance.

The HydroGen3 has a range of 250 mi. and a top speed of 100 mph. Some of the key breakthroughs include eliminating the need for a buffer battery -- needed in previous generations to deal with specific peak-power demands -- as well as developing an internal system for humidifying the fuel cell stack. HydroGen3's packaging and technology innovations move GM another step closer to developing a production-ready vehicle.

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