GM is developing a variety of new propulsion technology, including new hydrogen fuel cell tech. Now, GM Authority has exclusively learned that The General is currently working towards the development of new tech for use in GM medium-duty trucks that combines a hydrogen powertrain with a large electric battery pack.
For those readers who may be unaware, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles use electricity to provide propulsion. However, rather than draw power exclusively from an external electricity source, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles leverage a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen in which the two elements combine to generate an electrical current, as well as heat and water (H2O). This electricity is then used to power an onboard electric motor, which drives the vehicle. The end result is zero local carbon emissions, low noise levels, and high torque, as well as relatively quick refueling times compared to a pure BEV.
While GM has already developed hydrogen fuel cell technology, this new tech for future GM medium-duty trucks would also incorporate a large battery pack. The battery pack would have less capacity than an equivalent pack used to power a pure BEV, but would still have enough juice to act as the main power source for the electric motors.
In combination with a hydrogen fuel cell, this technology could potentially provide the best of both worlds, with either hydrogen fuel, electric power, or both acting as the vehicle power source. As speculation, the larger onboard battery could potentially be plugged in for more range when hydrogen fuel is unavailable, or it could be used as a power take-off unit, allowing the vehicle to power an external piece of equipment, such as a winch or air compressor.
For the moment, specific technical details on this future hydrogen-electric technology are not known. However, it’s expected that GM trucks equipped with the tech could hit the market by 2026.
Back in 2021, GM CEO Mary Barra confirmed that future GM medium-duty trucks would be equipped with GM hydrogen fuel cell technology. As reported previously, the new vehicles are not expected to launch until after the 2025 calendar year.
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Comments
This would provide the “range extender” trucks would need when towing heaving. I hope this spills over into the 1ton market as well. If it works well, it could convince a some personal diesel owners to switch.
It’s interesting that Honda will use hydrogen in the CR-V with a plug in battery as well. I am assuming Honda and GM will use their jointly developed Hydrotec for this. This seems to be the new range extender of choice. Ram is supposed to have some kind of range extender system – but we don’t know yet what kind they will use but I bet it will be hydrogen.
Now though, the Hydroden Fuel network needs to be expanded upon from the Current 45 – 50 stations through Canada and the US. For proper adoption and momentum away from pure electric this needs to be the focus. I see more of a future with Hydrogen/Electric hydbrids than with pure electric. It’s far more sustainable and has a smaller negative impact on the environment .
What a confusiom!!
These cars are “pure electric” since there are no other motors driving the wheels than electric motors. There is no hybrid drive train, being a combination of an ICE engine and an electric motor both driving the wheels, like in the Toyota Prius and similar cars.
How the electricity produced by the fuel cell and the electricity from the externaly chargeable battery (which certainly is also charged by fuel cell and from recuperating energy from braking, but it is absolutely unclear from this article how this battery and the fuel cell are working together.
Fuel cells are always combined with a buffer battery, because fuel cells cant react so quickly to varying electricity demands from the engine for acceleraring more or less sharply and simply cruising. The battery can react faster.
At any rate, please stop the nonsense of “pure electric” meaning exclusively BEVs
I brought this up as a possibility on another site about a month ago. It was right after the GMC SIERRA EV debut…
I think this might be how the Wabtec Locomotive is made: if so imagine using that combination for HD trucks:
We tested it in a train with the help from a known manufacturer… Now we are confident in it’s ability to pull anything and everything simultaneously.
Speaking of railways: today the first FCEV train moved from its base to the Bad Homburg train station in advance to the time table change on Sunday, December 11, when a whole fleet of electrical trains replaces Diesel powered trains on that network.
I wonder if this truck will be a collaboration with Navistar or Isuzu.
Stupid is as stupid does. There is no hydrogen fueling network and never will be. Hydrogen has terrible volumetric efficiency and it will always be expensive. Almost all hydrogen comes from methane reformation the produces just as much CO2 as gasoline. Green hydrogen will cost three times as much as charging a battery because you lose two thirds of they energy is wasted converting to and from hydrogen and compressing it.
It’s about time people ie Auto makers woke up to Hydrogen powered vehicles, it’s alot more eco friendly..
This phrase is quite a nonsense:
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the best of both worlds, with either hydrogen fuel, electric power, or both acting as the vehicle power source.
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The power source of the electrical motors moving the vehicle is always electricity, and nothing else. This is what makes this vehicel an electric vehicle, short EV.
In this special GM configuration, this electrical energy can come from ine of two sources, either a fuel cell, which generates electrical energy while the car is moving (also while standing), or alternatively from a battery, which can be charged from the fuel cell, energy recuperation while braking, or via a charging cord from an outside source of electrical energy.
I have an idea. Why doesn’t GM make electric, diesel and hydrogen side by side past 2035 and we will see which is actually the most desired and efficient? Stopping complete combustion engine production will not save the world. I do not understand why GM can’t make EVs and combustion engines in the future. Its absolutely ridiculous
This solves the CO2 issue except from the production of the hydrogen. In that circumstance the CO2 can be gathered as the hydrogen is produced and then stored or used for other purposes. Looking at that CO2 gathering, whatever happened to the technology that was going to suck CO2 from the atmosphere and convert it to other fuels??
I have always felt that hydrogen was the future of propulsion and this seems to be the start of that evolution. The only questions are how much these vehicles are going to cost and how much will it cost to provide fueling statins all across the globe??