2008 Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell
GM sells fewer SUVs than it used to, but profitable hopes spring eternal, especially if it can spin its behemoths as efficient crossover behemoths. SUVs are also good for packaging bulky stuff such as fuel cells and hydrogen tanks.
The fuel-cell Equinox neither looks nor drives like an exotic beast. An extra 500 pounds on top of the standard 3800-pound curb weight could be responsible for a suspension that’s a bit crashy over rough pavement. The 236 pound-feet of torque move the Equinox FC from stoplights with confidence, and it takes a couple of “whoa” moments before you adjust to the nonlinear brake feel endemic to many regenerative braking systems. GM claims a range of about 200 miles using the EPA test cycle, making it realistic transportation for the 100 lucky customers who, like Honda’s FCX Clarity customers, will not get to keep their fuel-cell vehicle when the lease is up. Unlike Honda’s extreme locale restrictions, GM is making leases available on the Equinox FC to folks in Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C.
Should the government decide it wants to invest its many spare billions in a hydrogen infrastructure, GM is confident that, in volume production, the price of proton-exchange membranes—the reason for a hydrogen-fuel-cell vehicle’s horrific build costs—would sink to a customer-friendly price point.
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