GM claims the new model is the most technologically advanced automobile ever built. It is the first vehicle to combine the hydrogen fuel-cell propulsion system with advanced technologies such as wheel-hub motors, steer- and brake-by-wire controls, a lightweight aluminium structure and lithium-ion batteries.
“General Motors is proving that advanced technology can remove the (car) from the environmental debate and reduce our dependence on petroleum,” says GM’s vice-president for research and development and strategic planning Larry Burns.
And it’s as green a concept as you’ll find: the five-seat crossover SUV only emits water vapor and uses clean, renewable hydrogen as a fuel.
It accelerates from 0-100km/hour in 10 seconds and features 70 per cent more torque, shorter braking distances and a range of 482km between fill-ups. The Sequel was first unveiled in 2005 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit and at this stage is only a concept car.
The Sequel joins the likes of the BMW Hydrogen 7 and the Mercedes A-Class and B-Class-based fuel-cell models. [The Daily Telegraph]