|
|
Daily
Gleaner | General Business
|
As published on page D7 on August
14, 2002
GM
unveils new Hy-wire fuel-cell car
Vehicle has no engine, transmission
CAR OF THE FUTURE:
(Associated
Press Photo)
These General Motors handout photos show the
interior and exterior of the first driveable
version of GM's fuel-cell powered,
mechanics- |
|
Associated Press
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - The car has no engine,
transmission, brake or gas pedals and is controlled by a box
that looks like it belongs in the hands of video game
jockey.
The sweeping windshield on the four-door sedan body reaches
down close to the bumpers and there's room to spare inside
because there are no mechanical components.
The body is connected to a skateboard-like chassis that
contains most of the vehicle's working parts.
General Motors Corp. revealed the first pictures Wednesday
of the hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicle, called the Hy-wire.
It's the first drivable version of a concept vehicle that
the automaker unveiled during January's North American
International Auto Show in Detroit under the name Autonomy
as its attempt to reinvent the automobile.
The new name "conveys the message we're above the
crowd, we're willing to take risks and we're capable of
doing some things with this technology that one would not
normally expect," Larry Burns, GM vice-president for
research and development and planning, told reporters at a
recent briefing.
The concept was to create a 15-centimetre-thick chassis
devoid of a powertrain, stuffed with electronic components
instead of mechanical controls for steering, braking or
acceleration with four electric motors, one for each wheel,
driven by hydrogen fuel cells.
Interchangeable bodies would be "docked" to the
skateboard-looking chassis, making it possible, in theory,
for a driver to follow whim or necessity without the expense
of buying a new vehicle.
"This suggests GM is focusing less on the technical
issues of making fuel cells operate and more on
packaging," said Thad Malesh, director of alternative
power technologies for the market research firm J.D. Power
and Associates.
"Clearly it will be one way to focus on research work,
with an eye toward commercialization," Malesh said.
Hy-wire is the first vehicle that combines fuel cell
technology with by-wire operation.
Fuel cells convert hydrogen into electricity. By-wire is a
technology that substitutes electronic controls for nearly
every mechanical component such as brake and accelerator
pedals and a steering wheel.
Everything is operated with a hand-held unit called an
X-Drive, which can be moved from side to side like a video
game system.
Acceleration is performed by twisting a handle as a
motorcycle rider would, and braking similarly is
accomplished by squeezing a hand control. Steering is a
matter of moving around an aircraft-like yoke.
The system was developed by The SKF Group, a Swedish
company. |
|
|
|
|
Advertise on canadaeast.com
Copyright © 2002 Brunswick News Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution,
or retransmission of any of the contents of this site without the express written consent
of Brunswick News Inc. is expressly prohibited.
|
|
