In the current market, the public's perception of greening the
environment is key. Virgin Atlantic Airways, Ltd. has jumped into the
eco-friendly game with its announcement it will use Chevrolet Equinox
hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for its "complimentary ground transfer
service for upper class passengers" for planes landing at Los Angeles
International Airport.
The
announcement was made by Virgin Atlantic President Sir Richard Branson
and Dr. Lawrence Burns, GM vice president of Research & Development
and Strategic planning at a news conference in New York.
Already
underway, Project Driveway is the world's largest fuel cell vehicle
test ever - placing more than 100 zero emissions electric vehicles
powered by hydrogen on the streets of key markets in the U.S. and
around the world. The Virgin partnership will continue through the
duration of the 30-month program.
Later in March, Virgin will
place three zero-petroleum, zero-emission Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell
electric vehicles, fueled with hydrogen, into its fleet as ground
transportation shuttles, running to and from the airport serving the
Los Angeles area. The partnership opens the door to possible future
activities between Chevrolet and Virgin, involving the same type of
service for New York. In addition, the relationship will help build
awareness of environmentally friendly technologies and their
sustainability. Actual drivers for the Virgin service will be provided
by Music Express Inc. in Burbank, California.
Currently,
hydrogen-powered vehicles are not seen as a viable mass transportation
option because of their high cost and the extremely limited number of
hydrogen fuel stations. This deal will help the Virgin brand reduce its
carbon footprint on the ground, which is an important cornerstone of
company's environmental strategy. This partnership also provides an
excellent top-level evaluation of how the Project Driveway Equinox
vehicles can be used in a "best-case-scenario" controlled environment.
Keep in mind, the cornerstone to the effectiveness of these Hydrogen
Equinoxes is the proximity of a 700-bar-pressure fueling station. Lower
level, 350-bar stations are more common, but can only fuel these
vehicles to half their capacity. Will Virgin be installing a 700-bar
hydrogen station near LAX to fueling this fleet? That detail was not
made clear in the press release.
"I'd like to thank Sir
Richard, for the opportunity for GM to team with Virgin," said Larry
Burns. "Given his strong environmental record and deep commitment to
innovation, GM sees this partnership as an important endorsement of our
fuel cell and electric vehicle technology, and an important new avenue
for demonstrating the new DNA of the automobile."
"Our mission
to be the sustainable airline is clear, both on the ground and in the
air. Partnerships such as this with General Motors show that we are
pioneering in the aviation industry when it comes to reducing emissions
at every stage of our passengers' journey," said Sir Richard Branson.
Enabled by GM's fourth-generation hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system,
the Equinox Fuel Cell electric vehicle is a fully functional crossover
vehicle. During the Project Driveway test, consumers in suburban Los
Angeles, New York City, and Washington, D.C. will drive more than 100
of these vehicles for three months and report their experiences to
Chevrolet. The drivers have free use of the vehicles -- including the
hydrogen fuel it needs to make electricity onboard as well as insurance
-- in exchange for their valuable feedback. A small number of the
Project Driveway vehicles will also be deployed to other parts of the
world, including Germany and Asia.
"This
is a great partnership," said Chevrolet General Manager Ed Peper. "Sir
Richard Branson and the Virgin Brand are globally-recognized and this
business partnership is an important piece of the Project Driveway
program. We will learn a great deal from the Virgin team."
Aside
from its dramatically different propulsion system and extra flashy
paint scheme, the Equinox Fuel Cell electric vehicle looks and drives
much like the production Chevy Equinox crossover. These special fleet
vehicles will also wear additional red Virgin logos and branding to
advertise Virgin's complimentary ground transfer service.
The
fuel cell system fits within the space of the conventional engine
compartment. The nickel-metal hydride battery pack, which stores energy
from the regenerative braking system to increase operating efficiency
and boost acceleration when needed, sits under the floor in the middle
of the vehicle. Three compressed hydrogen storage tanks, made of carbon
fiber for strength and pressurized to 10,000 pounds per square inch
(psi), are located under the rear seats and cargo area. They contain
roughly nine pounds (4.2 kg) of hydrogen. The Equinox fuel cell has a
range of approximately 150 miles when fully fueled.
Outside, the
Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell electric vehicle fascia sports Chevy's
horizontally split grille, along with extra cooling air inlets in the
lower front corners. At the rear, the new fascia under the bumper has
four thin vertical slits in place of the exhaust pipe; they release the
clean water vapor emissions. This patented design lets onlookers know
that this is no ordinary internal combustion engine vehicle.
By Brandy Schaffels
Editor, AskPatty.com
automotive advice for women
