GM has filed to trademark the ZH2 name, GM Authority has learned. The trademark may be used as branding for future hydrogen fuel cell technology applications.
The trademark was filed on February 17th, 2023 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and is assigned serial number 97799313. The application carries a Goods and Services description of “Motor land vehicles, namely automobiles.”
To note, GM applied to trademark ZH2 with the USPTO back in 2016 as well, filing under a Goods and Services category of “Automobiles and structural parts thereof.”
It’s certainly no secret that GM is stepping up its all-electric vehicle efforts with a slew of new EVs coming down the pipe. However, what’s slightly less known is GM’s hydrogen fuel cell technology development efforts, which have included the ZH2 name on several occasions in the past.
Chevy Silverado ZH2 concept
The Chevy Silverado ZH2 certainly springs to mind. Framed as a military vehicle equipped with a fuel-cell powertrain and extreme off-roading equipment, the Chevy Silverado ZH2 was originally developed as a concept vehicle for the U.S. Army. However, per an exclusive GM Authority interview with GM Defense President David Albritton published in March of 2021, the project never moved beyond the concept phase.
Chevy Colorado ZH2
Prior to the Chevy Silverado ZH2, GM developed the Chevy Colorado ZH2, which was also a hydrogen-powered pickup designed for military purposes. However, unlike the concept-only Silverado ZH2, the Colorado ZH2 actually made it as a working prototype, with delivery to the U.S. Army for testing in 2017. Standout features for the Chevy Colorado ZH2 included 37-inch tires and unique suspension upgrades, as well as GM’s Exportable Power Take-Off unit for remote power generation. The Army evaluated the Colorado ZH2 for its reduced acoustic and thermal signatures, high wheel torque, low fuel consumption, and water by-product for field uses.
Chevy Colorado ZH2
Going forward, it looks like GM has further plans for the ZH2 name, although it remains to be seen exactly what they may be.
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Comments
Hydrogen definitely has its use cases mainly big trucks and energy storage. Shame the Nikola deal went down like the Hindenburg.
Forget the hydrogen nonsense, just make a diesel version of this available.
Hydrogen makes no sense to me at all. Not sure as to why GM keeps spending money on this Tech that will never become Prime Time. I am convinced they do it just for the Subsidies because otherwise Hydrogen is DOA.
I can maybe see it on Long Haul Semis, Cargo Ships, and maybe Long Haul Airplanes too.
Not on consumer vehicles. The infrastructure needed is dizzying and will never happen.
Well Stallantis is supposedly moving to Hydrogen fuel cells for their next gen Heavy Duty trucks.
I can sum up why hydrogen is so big. For the people that have an issue with electric, usually hydrogen solves their main issue. Refill time, range, weight, and its easier to place stations in rural areas.
For people who drive long distances or tow a lot, electric just isn’t there yet. Will it get there? Maybe. But until battery tech or the craziness that is the charging infrastructure is solved, hydrogen is the answer.
I have pondered the towing limitations of the new pickups, and yesterday I saw a man with a bed mounted fuel tank—and then it came to me. Aftermarket bed mounted batteries, tucked right up behind the cab. Probably with a fuel tank combo to run that large generator when a charging station is either not convenient or not available.
In your first paragraph if one substitutes “batteries” for “hydrogen” you have the same argument that ICE fanboys have used and continue to use to bash BEVs. That includes the reference to “subsidies”
Now instead, BEV Heads are using the same faulty logic to bash hydrogen electric.
This will not be a VHS/Beta winner take all scenario. In the urgency of Climate Change look for a blend of alternative *electric* drive train solutions.
Look at the entire chessboard.
There are numerous reasons why Hydrogen makes no sense, especially for defense purposes. But the primary reason is that the membrane requires extensive use of Iridium and Platinum. Iridium is about the rarest element on the planet with only 7 tons produced annually worldwide from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Russia. Iridium is a key component in high strength alloys leaving little for fuel cell production. Every government is heavily subsidizing (especially Japan) the development of H2 fuel cells, but there are significant hurdles. Hydrogen on earth is prevalent but is not in a pure state and requires extensive energy to generate diatomic hydrogen, typically using fossil fuels with <10% from 'green' energy. H2 infrastructure can be solved, but is not as simple as underground tanks due to hydrogen's low volumetric energy density. Hence, it is prohibitively expensive and constrained – don't think other platinum elements haven't been tried unsuccessfully – Iridium is the key driver.
So i cant give anything away, but I can tell you thats the old way of using hydrogen. There are a couple different catalysts that can be used instead that are much more plentiful and cheaper to use.
As for the storage, its amazing what can be achieved mixing the right stuff with carbon fiber.
I really cant go into more detail, but just know its amazing how the future of hydrogen is looking. Its definitely going to be around for a while
One might begin to think that the General, might have a trick or two up the sleeve when it comes to energy procurement, and wishes to develop a trademark for future developments still to be revealed after global conflicts are settled.