A couple of weeks ago I was wondering out loud if General Motor’s Project Driveway would survive given their cuts induced by the bankruptcy courts. According to CNET, GM’s plans to keep charging full steam ahead with hydrogen cars are safe, for now.
According to Alan Taub who takes over October 1, 2009 for Larry Burns, the Executive Director of GM R&D, “Technology leadership is one of the pillars of the company. That is going to remain, and it will probably be emphasized as part of the brand of GM.”
As part of GM’s Project Driveway program, their engineers have reduced the size of the automaker’s 93 Kw 5th generation fuel cell stack to the same size of the four-cylinder Ecotech engine on their other cars.
Some of the R&D for hydrogen fuel cells has moved from the Honeoye Falls, NY plant to one in Warren, Michigan. And, while the 5th generation fuel cell is about half the size of the one currently running the in the Chevy Equinox FC, using less than ½ the platinum it still has a ways to go before becoming cost competitive.
Alan Taub would not discuss the terms of cuts to the fuel cell program coming out of bankruptcy. So, we may just have to find out the real scoop when he takes over his official role on October 1.