GM's Hydrogen Fuel Cells Hold Up in Crashes

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)

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