General Motors has been quiet about its plans to bring a fuel cell-powered Chevrolet Colorado to life for the U.S. military. That changed today as GM issued a formal statement on the imminent arrival of such a vehicle.
General Motors and the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) will reveal the experimental Chevrolet Colorado this October during the fall meeting of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) in Washington, D.C.
The vehicle has been in development following GM and TARDEC’s agreement signed in 2015. TARDEC reaps the benefits of commercial innovation, while GM receives feedback on non-standard fuel cell applications.
“Hydrogen fuel cells as a power source have the potential to bring to the force incredibly valuable capabilities,” said TARDEC Director Paul Rogers. “We expect the vehicle to be quiet in operation and ready to provide electricity generation for needs away from the vehicle. With fuel cell technology advancing, it’s an ideal time to investigate its viability in extreme military-use conditions.”
The U.S. Army will conduct user assessments of the Chevrolet Colorado in 2017, providing valuable feedback to GM to continue developing fuel cell technology.
“This project is another example of how fuel cell propulsion can play a role in non-traditional applications,” said Charlie Freese, executive director of GM’s Global Fuel Cell Activities. “We need to continue pursuing these opportunities along with our plans for production of a commercial fuel cell system in the 2020 time frame.”
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