ChAnWaY
31-05-2003, 15:07:24
http://popularmechanics.com/automotive/auto_technology/2002/8/hy_wire_hybrid/images/tb_hywire-lg.jpg
Is it the shape of the future or little more than a fantasy in chrome and hydrogen? That's the question folks are likely to be asking when General Motors rolls out its Hy-Wire concept vehicle in late 2002. The alternative fuel prototype is a running, next-generation version of the Autonomy concept introduced at the Detroit auto show. The "Hy" in its name refers to the hydrogen fuel cell that powers it. The second part of its name hints at the fact that Hy-Wire is operated by a videogame-style controller, rather than conventional mechanical links. But an equally novel part of the design means Hy-Wire's body can be quickly removed and replaced with another.
When GM unveiled the Autonomy platform, it posed a fundamental question. What happens if you design a vehicle from the ground up specifically to use a fuel cell, rather than add a fuel cell to existing designs? The original Autonomy was just 6 in. thick--yes, the whole thing--yet that provided more than enough room--in theory--to house everything from the fuel cell stack to the vehicle's suspension.
Back To The Future
Hy-Wire didn't quite meet that target. Its chassis is 11 in. thick, but even so, it sits low enough to serve as a functional vehicle platform. In one sense, the chassis resembles the old-style frames the auto industry relied on before unibody construction came into common use. And, indeed, Hy-Wire's body is bolted onto the frame. But that's where all resemblances end.
The attachment points allow a body to be mounted to the platform like a piece of plug-and-play computer hardware--and just as easily removed. When GM rolled out the original Autonomy platform, it showed a sports car body that could have been at home on the set of a sci-fi film such as "Blade Runner."
http://popularmechanics.com/automotive/auto_technology/2002/8/hy_wire_hybrid/images/tb_lg_hywireint-lg.jpg
HY-WIRE VIDEO GAME-STYLE INTERIOR
Hy-Wire features an only slightly less futuristic 4-door sedan body. Because all the running gear is mounted in the platform underneath, "it gave us an opportunity to rethink the interior," says GM technology chief Larry Burns. "It gave us freedom to use that space in a very different way," adds Ed Welburn, head of advanced design.
Virtually all of the space inside the 5-meter-long shell can be devoted to passengers and cargo, and the feel is one of a spacious living room. Behind a panoramic-style windscreen, five passengers sit in supportive, office-style chairs that can be repositioned in a variety of configurations.
Nintendo Meets The Road
One of the more notable details is the lack of conventional foot pedals. That underscores the fact that, other than the mounting pins, there are no mechanical connections between Hy-Wire's body and platform. Everything--including the car's steering, throttle and brakes--are operated through a handheld device called an X-drive. It's "sort of like a Nintendo unit," explains Burns.
Drive-by-wire technology is not as far-fetched as it might sound. A growing number of carmakers are cutting the mechanical ties between conventional pedals and the systems they control. For example, the Chevy Corvette has had an electronic throttle for a couple of years. The throttle and the braking systems on Mercedes-Benz's new SL sports cars are by-wire systems. The technology permits engineers to improve performance and reduce emissions. The SL's brakes are smart enough to recognize when a driver is in a panic stop and automatically increase braking force.
But with so many cutting-edge systems on a single vehicle, skeptics have accused GM of using Autonomy to dazzle rather than demonstrate real-world possibilities for fuel cell power. Burns bridles at such charges. This is not "just a concept car for an exercise. We're moving very seriously in this direction," he asserts.
Hurrying Along
It's true that GM will be late to the table among major carmakers. Of the industry's six largest, most will begin offering limited-volume fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) for sale by mid-decade. GM has yet to set a production date for any FCV, though it's likely to be in the 2008 time frame, company sources hint. While green-minded regulators and groups such as the Sierra Club would like to hurry fuel cell technology into the marketplace, Burns sees no reason to rush. Introducing uncompetitive battery cars all but killed demand for that technology, he points out, and he would like to avoid the same fate with the fuel cell.
GM will ultimately bring a fuel cell vehicle to market, Burns promises. "We want to be the first carmaker to sell one million fuel cell vehicles." GM is betting that if it can not only match the cost and functionality of a conventional car but add some unique features, it could dominate the future market for FCVs.
Certainly, the technology has a long way to go before it is truly competitive with the internal-combustion engine. At an early Aug. 2002 conference in Traverse City, Mich., various industry representatives noted that it currently costs up to 100 times more to produce the same amount of power with a fuel cell. Mass-production techniques have yet to be developed, and reliability is uncertain. Then there's the issue of infrastructure. There's no ready supply of pure hydrogen, and it could cost billions and take years to develop a fuel production and distribution network.
GM is experimenting with an onboard reformer system that could extract hydrogen from conventional gasoline. Some competitors prefer reformers that use methanol. But most experts believe that, eventually, the most efficient approach will be to simply store hydrogen onboard just like gasoline. The Hy-Wire uses a newly developed 5000-psi hydrogen tank that gives the prototype a 300-mile range, about the same as a conventional car.
It's critical for the industry to make FCVs operate just like the cars consumers already know, emphasizes Dr. David Cole, organizer of the Traverse City conference. Although American car buyers are talking green these days, they "don't want to sacrifice," he asserts.
fonte: popularmechanics.com
Is it the shape of the future or little more than a fantasy in chrome and hydrogen? That's the question folks are likely to be asking when General Motors rolls out its Hy-Wire concept vehicle in late 2002. The alternative fuel prototype is a running, next-generation version of the Autonomy concept introduced at the Detroit auto show. The "Hy" in its name refers to the hydrogen fuel cell that powers it. The second part of its name hints at the fact that Hy-Wire is operated by a videogame-style controller, rather than conventional mechanical links. But an equally novel part of the design means Hy-Wire's body can be quickly removed and replaced with another.
When GM unveiled the Autonomy platform, it posed a fundamental question. What happens if you design a vehicle from the ground up specifically to use a fuel cell, rather than add a fuel cell to existing designs? The original Autonomy was just 6 in. thick--yes, the whole thing--yet that provided more than enough room--in theory--to house everything from the fuel cell stack to the vehicle's suspension.
Back To The Future
Hy-Wire didn't quite meet that target. Its chassis is 11 in. thick, but even so, it sits low enough to serve as a functional vehicle platform. In one sense, the chassis resembles the old-style frames the auto industry relied on before unibody construction came into common use. And, indeed, Hy-Wire's body is bolted onto the frame. But that's where all resemblances end.
The attachment points allow a body to be mounted to the platform like a piece of plug-and-play computer hardware--and just as easily removed. When GM rolled out the original Autonomy platform, it showed a sports car body that could have been at home on the set of a sci-fi film such as "Blade Runner."
http://popularmechanics.com/automotive/auto_technology/2002/8/hy_wire_hybrid/images/tb_lg_hywireint-lg.jpg
HY-WIRE VIDEO GAME-STYLE INTERIOR
Hy-Wire features an only slightly less futuristic 4-door sedan body. Because all the running gear is mounted in the platform underneath, "it gave us an opportunity to rethink the interior," says GM technology chief Larry Burns. "It gave us freedom to use that space in a very different way," adds Ed Welburn, head of advanced design.
Virtually all of the space inside the 5-meter-long shell can be devoted to passengers and cargo, and the feel is one of a spacious living room. Behind a panoramic-style windscreen, five passengers sit in supportive, office-style chairs that can be repositioned in a variety of configurations.
Nintendo Meets The Road
One of the more notable details is the lack of conventional foot pedals. That underscores the fact that, other than the mounting pins, there are no mechanical connections between Hy-Wire's body and platform. Everything--including the car's steering, throttle and brakes--are operated through a handheld device called an X-drive. It's "sort of like a Nintendo unit," explains Burns.
Drive-by-wire technology is not as far-fetched as it might sound. A growing number of carmakers are cutting the mechanical ties between conventional pedals and the systems they control. For example, the Chevy Corvette has had an electronic throttle for a couple of years. The throttle and the braking systems on Mercedes-Benz's new SL sports cars are by-wire systems. The technology permits engineers to improve performance and reduce emissions. The SL's brakes are smart enough to recognize when a driver is in a panic stop and automatically increase braking force.
But with so many cutting-edge systems on a single vehicle, skeptics have accused GM of using Autonomy to dazzle rather than demonstrate real-world possibilities for fuel cell power. Burns bridles at such charges. This is not "just a concept car for an exercise. We're moving very seriously in this direction," he asserts.
Hurrying Along
It's true that GM will be late to the table among major carmakers. Of the industry's six largest, most will begin offering limited-volume fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) for sale by mid-decade. GM has yet to set a production date for any FCV, though it's likely to be in the 2008 time frame, company sources hint. While green-minded regulators and groups such as the Sierra Club would like to hurry fuel cell technology into the marketplace, Burns sees no reason to rush. Introducing uncompetitive battery cars all but killed demand for that technology, he points out, and he would like to avoid the same fate with the fuel cell.
GM will ultimately bring a fuel cell vehicle to market, Burns promises. "We want to be the first carmaker to sell one million fuel cell vehicles." GM is betting that if it can not only match the cost and functionality of a conventional car but add some unique features, it could dominate the future market for FCVs.
Certainly, the technology has a long way to go before it is truly competitive with the internal-combustion engine. At an early Aug. 2002 conference in Traverse City, Mich., various industry representatives noted that it currently costs up to 100 times more to produce the same amount of power with a fuel cell. Mass-production techniques have yet to be developed, and reliability is uncertain. Then there's the issue of infrastructure. There's no ready supply of pure hydrogen, and it could cost billions and take years to develop a fuel production and distribution network.
GM is experimenting with an onboard reformer system that could extract hydrogen from conventional gasoline. Some competitors prefer reformers that use methanol. But most experts believe that, eventually, the most efficient approach will be to simply store hydrogen onboard just like gasoline. The Hy-Wire uses a newly developed 5000-psi hydrogen tank that gives the prototype a 300-mile range, about the same as a conventional car.
It's critical for the industry to make FCVs operate just like the cars consumers already know, emphasizes Dr. David Cole, organizer of the Traverse City conference. Although American car buyers are talking green these days, they "don't want to sacrifice," he asserts.
fonte: popularmechanics.com