GM's Hydrogen Fuel Cells Hold Up in Crashes

 

One of the great fears about hydrogen vehicles is that they will all be mini-Hindenbergs on the road — highly combustible accidents just waiting to happen. The experience for GM, though, has allayed those fears so far.

Having put 120 Chevy Equinox fuel-cell vehicles on the road, GM has five test cases to point to. The five accidents in question have not resulted in a devastating hydrogen explosion.

As Charlie Freese, the head of GM’s fuel-cell program, explained to DriveOn, the cars are designed to avoid such a catastrophe. In the event of a rupture in the tank, they are designed to leak a jet of flame and not ignite like a small Hindenberg-style bomb. This actually is more reassuring than it perhaps sounds.

The picture above is from a three-vehicle accident involving a Chevy Equinox fuel-cell vehicle in Washington, D.C., that totaled the Equinox. According to GM, the vehicle data analysis revealed that the safety systems operated as designed, no hydrogen was released and no one was injured. Check out the photo of the damage to the rear after the jump.

GM’s Hydrogen Fuel Cell Fleet Holds Up in Crashes (DriveOn)

Comments

In some ways, hydrogen is actually inherently safer than gasoline in a crash. If a leak occurs, and a fire results, the flames will tend to travel up and away from the car since hydrogen is considerably less dense than air. Gasoline on the other hand will tend to drip down and pool, creating a fire under the vehicle.
Ofcourse the real worry is one of massive rupture of the fuel tank where all the fuel is released at once. Most storage mediums for transportation hydrogen don't allow this to happen as they are not just a large, pressured tank of hydrogen, but rather something more akin to a honeycomb. This limits the amount of fuel that could be leaked from any damage to the vehicle.
I'm not sure what type of tank GM was been using on their test fleet, but that could be the reason for the safe results.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is the exact same one I've seen a few times in MD, seeing how only 115 were built...

I thought I heard GM was scrapping the project though?

One can't claim that the 5 test cases have proven the safety of the vehicle. After all, it's 5 random test cases. If there are 500, 5000 of random test cases, plus numerous designed test cases, then one can safely stated that the vehicle is safe. For example, design a test case of having a large vehicle hitting the FCV, or a test case where the FCV runs into a pole or brick wall - both cases at great velocity.

Beside, having fire split out is DEFINITELY not sthg save. Imagine the same thg on a gasoline vehicle, and the next thg u'll hear is a recall! Imagine, if you load up sthg flammable in an area where the flame will shoot out...and let me remind y'all, many thgs u buy can be flammable! Groceries (e.g. hair spray, cooking oil, wine), home improvement (e.g. fertilizer, or butane oil), etc.

People don't realize that it was not the hydrogen in the Hindenburg that was burning...it was the outer skin that was painted in a material that is as combustible as jet fuel. Ask Mythbusters.

People are made of hydrogen (as are all living organisms), and we don't blow-up when we run into things. Oceans, lakes, and swiming pools are mostly hydrogen. Think about that next time you do a cannonball off the diving board.

Rich1, you don't have a chemistry degree, do ya? If so, I pity ur school...

There's a difference between Hydrogen atoms and Hydrogen ion.

Humans are NOT made of Hydrogen atom, which is what FCV is all about. Humans are made of organic molecules, which consists of hydrogen ions The form of organic molecules that compose our body aren't as readily combustible as Hydrogen atom. Furthermore, we have 80% of water inside our body, and surrounding these molecules, which is another reason why we don't burst into flame easily...unless, of 'coz, u r a member of the Fantastic 4...
JM is absolutely correct, which supplements my point. The flame itself may not hurt or kill people, but the stuff that people transport, which can be flammable, will!

Dan;

Tell that to the descendants of the 36 people killed in the Hindenberg disaster.

I propose a ban on reading Amuro Ray's postings until he spells-out all words. Vowels are not something to be feared.

Rich1: have you not heard of "spontanious human combustion"? SHC is more common than you think!

mytwocents;

Try reading my comment before you post something attacking it.

Maybe GM should sell this as an appearance package, it looks much nicer than a regular Equinox.

I'm working to operate my very own website yet I believe its as well standard and I would like to concentrate much more on smaller tips. Becoming all items to all most people is not really all that its crumbled as much as be.

Hydrogen is both flammable and explosive. Sooner or later there will be a ***-almighty explosion in a car crash and that will be the end of fuel cells for cars.

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