Students Study Hydrogen Powered Car

Students in Everett Sutphin’s automotive technology class at Monroe Technology Center in Leesburg were recently introduced to the Chevrolet hydrogen powered test vehicle – the Equinox.

The Chevy Equinox is an electric vehicle powered by a hydrogen-powered fuel cell, according to Chevrolet “Project Driveway” market test. The vehicle’s hydrogen fuel cells use zero gasoline and produces zero emissions, other than water vapor. The Equinox runs on electricity and water is the emission, which exits the tail pipe. The Equinox’s electric motor traction system provides smooth acceleration, quiet performance and has the ability to reach a top speed of 100 mph.

Hydrogen vehicles represent a sustainable technology for a better environment, according to General Motors which launched a test fleet of hydrogen-powered Chevy Equinox in 2008 in New York, Southern California and Washington D.C. Don Lewis who drove the test car to the Loudoun County Public School for students to view explained the Equinox with a four kilogram tank averages about 70 to 75 miles per kilogram. Lewis also explained that a severely limited number of places – “gas stations” – “hydrogen stations” to fuel the test car is a reality. One station is at Fort Belvoir, near Lewis’ home and another in Washington D.C.

The National Air and Space Administration (NASA) uses hydrogen as an energy fuel – as fuel cells power the space shuttles electrical system, and according to the Chevy Project Driveway information, the astronauts drink the only byproduct– pure water.