General Motors Hy-wire
Published Oct 11, 2006
0 Ratings
What Is It?
General Motors Hy-wire
What's Special About It?
At the 2002 North American International Auto Show, General Motors released a concept called the Autonomy. It didn't look like much of a vehicle. Instead, it was a hydrogen-fueled "skateboard" chassis that contained all of a potential vehicle's propulsion and control systems. GM promised that a drivable version would appear within a year.
At this year's Paris auto show, GM delivered on the promise. Called the Hy-wire, this concept utilizes the Autonomy chassis and is quite interesting in its appearance and functionality.
The Hy-wire was a product of global cooperation. GM engineers in the United States developed the chassis and body design. Engineers at GM's research facility in Germany integrated the fuel-cell propulsion system, while SKF Group, headquartered in Sweden, developed the by-wire technology in the Netherlands and Italy.
Hy's most obvious element is that there's no engine compartment. The fiberglass-and-glass body is independent of the aluminum chassis, though it is connected by 10 body attachment linkages. Because of the extensive use of glass, onlookers can see through the car from front to rear, and the driver has a commanding view of the road.
Instead of conventional controls, the Hy-wire has what GM calls X-drive. X-drive allows the steering, braking and other vehicle systems to be controlled electronically rather than mechanically, which is said to reduce weight, simplify maintenance and allow for greater design freedom.
The fuel-cell propulsion system is the same GM system designed for the HydroGen3 concept, which is based on an Opel Zafira. Three cylindrical storage tanks compress hydrogen at a pressure of 35 MPa (that's 350 atmospheres) to supply the 94-kilowatt fuel stack. The generated electricity is then used to power a 60-kilowatt electric motor that drives the front wheels. GM says that with 70 MPa hydrogen tanks currently under development, the Hy-wire could have a range of 300 miles.
Why Should You Care?
The Hy-wire shows a lot of creative thinking by GM's engineers. The company says it is "really serious" about putting the technology contained in the Hy-wire into production by 2010. — Brent Romans
General Motors Hy-wire
What's Special About It?
At the 2002 North American International Auto Show, General Motors released a concept called the Autonomy. It didn't look like much of a vehicle. Instead, it was a hydrogen-fueled "skateboard" chassis that contained all of a potential vehicle's propulsion and control systems. GM promised that a drivable version would appear within a year.
At this year's Paris auto show, GM delivered on the promise. Called the Hy-wire, this concept utilizes the Autonomy chassis and is quite interesting in its appearance and functionality.
The Hy-wire was a product of global cooperation. GM engineers in the United States developed the chassis and body design. Engineers at GM's research facility in Germany integrated the fuel-cell propulsion system, while SKF Group, headquartered in Sweden, developed the by-wire technology in the Netherlands and Italy.
Hy's most obvious element is that there's no engine compartment. The fiberglass-and-glass body is independent of the aluminum chassis, though it is connected by 10 body attachment linkages. Because of the extensive use of glass, onlookers can see through the car from front to rear, and the driver has a commanding view of the road.
Instead of conventional controls, the Hy-wire has what GM calls X-drive. X-drive allows the steering, braking and other vehicle systems to be controlled electronically rather than mechanically, which is said to reduce weight, simplify maintenance and allow for greater design freedom.
The fuel-cell propulsion system is the same GM system designed for the HydroGen3 concept, which is based on an Opel Zafira. Three cylindrical storage tanks compress hydrogen at a pressure of 35 MPa (that's 350 atmospheres) to supply the 94-kilowatt fuel stack. The generated electricity is then used to power a 60-kilowatt electric motor that drives the front wheels. GM says that with 70 MPa hydrogen tanks currently under development, the Hy-wire could have a range of 300 miles.
Why Should You Care?
The Hy-wire shows a lot of creative thinking by GM's engineers. The company says it is "really serious" about putting the technology contained in the Hy-wire into production by 2010. — Brent Romans