The hydrogen fuel cell is a thing of interest for the US government and its agencies. Following US Army collaboration with General Motors on the Chevy Colorado ZH2 fuel cell pickup, it appears there's more intrigue around the alternative powertrain.
This Tuesday, the US Department of Energy and the US Army
revealed a new collaborative effort to develop a purpose-built disaster
relief vehicle with a fuel cell powertrain. While fuel cells offer their
own benefits in the form of zero emissions, the Army and DoE
underscored a few other important points.
Fuel cells can provide a
source of power, heat and even water for up to 72 hours. In the middle
of a disaster zone, such benefits could revolutionize the way emergency
crews and first responders tackle a situation. The US pointed to recent
California wildfires and Hurricane Dorian's aftermath in the Bahamas as
two examples where this kind of vehicle would serve well.
While
the collaborative effort is new, the DoE has focused on hydrogen fuel
cells longer. The department previously rolled out its H2@Scale
Initiative, which focuses on creating reliable and affordable hydrogen
production, transport and storage. Hydrogen powers fuel cells, which in
turn creates electricity like an electric car. The added benefits as a
power station of sorts come with the territory, which the Army was very
interested in to improve situations in the battlefield. Fuel cells
also produce a faint heat signature, which can make the vehicles far
less detectable during more covert operations compared to an
internal-combustion engine.
While no photos of specific details of
the truck were provided, the fuel cell emergency vehicle does have an
appropriate name: H2Rescue. The Army Corps of Engineers along with
various partners will begin issuing a requests for proposals this fall
before work starts getting underway. Pictured above is GM's Silent Utility Rover Universal Superstructure
(SURUS), which the automaker debuted as a potential fuel cell platform
of the future. Perhaps we'll see the automaker take another crack at a
fuel cell emergency vehicle.
Following engineering and
development, H2Rescue will go through a feasibility study. The DoE and
Army also plan for a joint demonstration to make sure and showcase how
an emissions-free emergency vehicle isn't only eco-conscious, but better
suits those who work in the field.
