Department Of Mechanical EngineeringArmy Institute of Technology

Dighi Hills, Pune-411015

HY-WIRE CARS

- A Seminar Report -

By:Ashish Pandey

(Third Year Mechanical Engineering)Roll No.2339

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HY-WIRE CARS(A Seminar Report)

Submitted in the partial fulfilment of the requirement for T.E. (Mech)Under the University of Pune.

By:Ashish PandeyRoll No. 2339

Guide:Prof. U.V.Awasarmol

Department of Mechanical Engineering

ARMY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYDighi Hills, Pune-411015

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CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Mr Ashish Pandey (Roll No:2339) of Third Year Mechanical

Engineering has successfully completed the Seminar report on the topic titled: ‘ Hy-wire car’

and submitted to the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Army Institute of Technology,

Pune, towards the partial fulfilment of the requirement for Third Year of Mechanical

Engineering.

Date:

Prof. U.V.Awasarmol Prof. R. B. Patil(Guide)Assistant Professor Professor & HeadDepartment of Mechanical Engg. Dept. of Mechanical Engg.

Prof. Prof.(Internal Examiner). (External Examiner).

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all I thank the almighty for providing me with the strength and courage to present the

seminar. 

I avail this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude towards Prof. R.B. Patil, head of

mechanical engineering department, for permitting me to conduct the seminar. I also at the outset

thank and express my profound gratitude to my seminar guide Prof. U.V. Awasarmol for their

inspiring assistance, encouragement and useful guidance. 

I am also indebted to all the teaching and non- teaching staff of the department of mechanical

engineering for their cooperation and suggestions, which is the spirit behind this report. Last but

not the least, I wish to express my sincere thanks to all my friends for their goodwill.

ASHISH PANDEY

(TE MECHANICAL)

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CONTENTS

1. Introduction………………………….….………(1)

2. History…………………………………..………(2)

3. Hy-wire basics………………………….……….(3)

4. Power…………….…………………..….….…..(5)

5. Control…………….………………….…..…….(9)

6. Applications of fuel cells…………….….….…..(11)

7. Specifications……………………….…..….…..(14)

8. Advantages…………………….………….…...(15)

9. Disadvantages………………………....….……(16)

10. Future……………………………………….….(17)

11. A few concers………………………………….(18)

12.Conclusion……..……………………..………..(19)

13.References……………………………..………(20)

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ABSTRACT

In this seminar, we will look at one interesting vision of the future, General Motors remarkable

concept car, the Hy-wire.

From last many years we have been facing the problem of pollution and environmental disaster.

Much of the pollutants come under the category of vehicular pollution. Therefore we need to

evolve a method to eliminate or at least decrease this problem.

If you've ever looked under the hood of a car, you know an internal combustion engine requires

a lot of additional equipment to function correctly. No matter what else they do with a car,

designers always have to make room for this equipment.

The Hy-wire (Hydrogen drive-by-wire) is a concept car from General Motors originally

introduced in January 2002. The car runs on hydrogen fuel cells and uses a drive-by-

wire system, meaning that the car is controlled electronically. Due to hydrogen fuel cell drive

system used by the Hy-wire, the conventional car layout has been revamped. Without the need

for a conventional engine block and transmission system coupled to the steering

column and pedals through mechanical linkage the car's power system and single electric motor

are built into a flat skateboard configuration.

Since a fuel cell propulsion system is about twice as efficient as an internal combustion engine, a

fuel cell vehicle could provide twice the fuel efficiency of a comparably sized conventional

vehicle, and an optimized fuel cell vehicle like Hy-wire would be even more efficient. Since the

reaction through which the power is generated is 2H2+O2=>2H2O the only bi-product formed

is water, which is a non-pollutant. Since there is no burning or other oxidation process in the

releasing of energy harmful components like nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, carbon oxides and

other unburnt products are not produced. Hence these cars are highly eco-friendly.

Of course, this is a concept car. GM will use ideas from this in future autos, so it’s entirely possible that someday soon you'll drive a car with a front window that reaches from your toes to the roof, while you steer the car with a joystick set in the arm of a comfortable chair.

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1. INTRODUCTION

Cars are immensely complicated machines, but when you get down to it, they do an incredibly

simple job. Most of the complex stuff in a car is dedicated to turning wheels, which grip the road

to pull the car body and passengers along. The steering system tilts the wheels side to side to turn

the car, and brake and acceleration systems control the speed of the wheels.

GM-Hy-wire 1

Given that the overall function of a car is so basic (it just needs to provide rotary motion to

wheels), it seems a little strange that almost all cars have the same collection of complex devices

crammed under the hood and the same general mass of mechanical and hydraulic linkages

running throughout. Why do cars necessarily need a steering column, brake and acceleration

pedals, a combustion engine, a catalytic converter and the rest of it? According to many

leading automotive engineers, they don't; and more to the point, in the near future, they won't.

Most likely, a lot of us will be driving radically different cars within 20 years. And the difference

won't just be under the hood -- owning and driving cars will change significantly, too.

In this article, we'll look at one interesting vision of the future, General Motor's remarkable

concept car, the Hy-wire. GM may never actually sell the Hy-wire to the public, but it is

certainly a good illustration of various ways cars might evolve in the near future.

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The body of the Hy-wire is an aluminium frame on a steel and fibre glass body and conventional

windscreen dimensions have been lengthened giving the driver a sense of space and improved

visibility. It's a car that marries the best of contemporary design with the innovation necessary

for the 21st Century. The Hy-wire may cost the GDP of a developing nation, but this is a

prototype. As the market adopts the Hy-wire concept and runs with it, the price will come down,

ensuring a cleaner, quieter future for several generations to come.

We are driving to have compelling and affordable fuel cell vehicles on the road by the end of the

decade. With Hy-wire, we have taken the technology as it exists today and packaged it into an

innovative driveable vehicle comparable in size and weight to today's luxury vehicles.

- Larry Burns, Vice President, GM Research, Development and Planning

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2. HISTORY

General Motors, the American automobile behemoth, is essentially the company bringing out the

HY-WIRE car. But this was not the first alternate fuel powered vehicle that they were bringing

out. GMs overarching advanced technology strategy for propulsion systems was designed to

build capability for increased power and energy efficiency and reduced emissions with the long-

term vision of making the transition to hydrogen-fuelled fuel cell powered vehicles that emit

only clean water and offer twice the energy efficiency of traditional engines. This technology

development focuses on fuel cell power systems, hydrogen production (electrolysis and fuel

processing), electric drive control and system integration, hydrogen storage, and affordability.

At the 2002 North American International Motor Show at Detroit, GM unveiled the Autonomy

car which was the first purpose-designed vehicle combining the benefits of fuel cells and drive

by wire technology. Discarding the restrictions of conventional vehicle design based around the

internal combustion engine, the vehicle consists of an innovative, skateboard-like chassis,

incorporating all the running gear, such as fuel cell powered electric drive, steering and braking

systems, onto which a variety of different body styles, from a two-seater sports car to a people

carrier, can be placed as required.

The GM Hy-wire incorporates the features first envisioned in the Autonomy concept vehicle. All

of the touring sedan's propulsion and control systems are contained within an 11-inch-thick

skateboard-like chassis, maximizing the interior space for five occupants and their cargo.

GM designers and engineers in the United States developed the vehicle chassis and body design,

as well as the engineering and electrical system integration. Engineers at GM's research facility

in Mainz-Kastler, Germany, integrated the fuel-cell propulsion system, which is the same system

used in the HydroGen3 concept, based on an Opel Zaffre and shown at the 2001 Frankfurt Motor

Show. American designers also worked closely with Italian design house Stile Breton in Turin,

where the body was built.

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3. HY-WIRE BASICS

Two basic elements largely dictate car design today: the internal combustion engine and

mechanical and hydraulic linkages. If you've ever looked under the hood of a car, you know an

internal combustion engine requires a lot of additional equipment to function correctly. No

matter what else they do with a car, designers always have to make room .

HY-WIRE BASIC STRUCTURE 1

The same goes for mechanical and hydraulic linkages. The basic idea of this system is that the

driver manoeuvres the various actuators in the car (the wheels, brakes, etc.) more or less directly,

by manipulating driving controls connected to those actuators by shafts, gears and hydraulics. In

a rack-and-pinion steering system, for example, turning the steering wheel rotates a shaft

connected to a pinion gear, which moves a rack gear connected to the car's front wheels. In

addition to restricting how the car is built.

How we drive:

The steering wheel, pedal and gear -shift system were all designed around the linkage idea. The

defining characteristic of the Hy-wire (and its conceptual predecessor, the Autonomy) is that it

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doesn't have either of these two things. Instead of an engine, it has a fuel cell stack, which

powers an electric motor connected to the wheels. Instead of mechanical and hydraulic linkages,

it has a drive by wire system -- a computer actually operates the components that move the

wheels, activate the brakes and so on, based on input from an electronic controller. This is the

same control system employed in modern fighter jets as well as many commercial planes. 

The result of these two substitutions is a very different type of car -- and a very different driving

experience.

There is no steering wheel, there are no pedals and there is no engine compartment. In fact, every

piece of equipment that actually moves the car along the road is housed in an 11-inch-thick (28

cm) aluminium chassis -- also known as the skateboard -- at the base of the car. Everything

above the chassis is dedicated solely to driver control and passenger comfort. This means the

driver and passengers don't have to sit behind a mass of machinery. Instead, the Hy-wire has a

huge front windshield, which gives everybody a clear view of the road.

The floor of the fibreglass-and-steel passenger compartment can be totally flat, and it's easy to

give every seat lots of leg room. Concentrating the bulk of the vehicle in the bottom section of

the car also improves safety because it makes the car much less likely to tip over. 

But the coolest thing about this design is that it lets you remove the entire passenger

compartment and replace it with a different one. If you want to switch from a van to a sports car,

you don't need an entirely new car; you just need a new body (which is a lot cheaper). The Hy-

wire has wheels, seats and windows like a conventional car, but the similarity pretty much ends

there. There is no engine under the hood and no   steering wheel   or pedals inside.

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3. POWER

The "Hy" in Hy-wire stands for hydrogen, the standard fuel for a fuel cell system. Like batteries,

fuel cells have a negatively charged terminal and a positively charged terminal that propels

electrical charge through a circuit connected to each end. They are also similar to batteries in that

they generate electricity from a chemical reaction. But unlike a battery, you can continually

recharge a fuel cell by adding chemical fuel -- in this case, hydrogen from an onboard storage

HY-WIRE HYDROGEN CELLS 1

tank and oxygen from the atmosphere. 

The basic idea is to use a catalyst to split a hydrogen molecule (H2) into two H protons (H+,

positively charged single hydrogen atoms) and two electrons (e-). Oxygen on the cathode

(positively charged) side of the fuel cell draws H+ ions from the anode side through a proton

exchange membrane, but blocks the flow of electrons.

The electrons (which have a negative charge) are attracted to the protons (which have a positive

charge) on the other side of the membrane, but they have to move through the electrical circuit to

get there. The moving electrons make up the electrical current that powers the various loads in

the circuit, such as motors and the computer system. On the cathode side of the cell, the

hydrogen, oxygen and free

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electrons combine to form water (H2O), the system's only emission product.

Chemistry of a Fuel Cell

Anode side:

2H2 => 4H+ + 4e-

Cathode side:

O2 + 4H+ + 4e- => 2H2O

Net reaction:

2H2 + O2 => 2H2O

In a hydrogen fuel cell, a catalyst breaks hydrogen molecules in the anode into protons and

electrons. The protons move through the exchange membrane, toward the oxygen on the cathode

side, and the electrons make their way through a wire between the anode and cathode. On the

cathode side, the hydrogen and oxygen combine to form water. Many cells are connected in

series to move substantial charge through a circuit.

In a hydrogen fuel cell, a catalyst breaks hydrogen molecules in the anode into protons and

electrons. The protons move through the exchange membrane, toward the oxygen on the cathode

side, and the electrons make their way through a wire between the anode and cathode. On the

cathode side, the hydrogen and oxygen combine to form water. Many cells are connected in

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series to move substantial charge through a circuit. 

One fuel cell only puts out a little bit of power, so you need to combine many cells into a stack to

get much use out of the process. The fuel-cell stack in the Hy-wire is made up of 200 individual

cells connected in series, which collectively provide 94 kilowatts of continuous power and 129

kilowatts at peak power. The compact cell stack (it's about the size of a PC tower) is kept cool by

a conventional radiator system that's powered by the fuel cells themselves. The hydrogen tanks

and fuel-cell stack in the Hy-wire .

This system delivers DC voltage ranging from 125 to 200 volts, depending on the load in the

circuit. The motor controller boosts this up to 250 to 380 volts and converts it to AC current to

drive the three-phase electric motor that rotates the wheels (this is similar to the system used in

conventional electric cars). 

The electric motor's job is to apply torque to the front wheel axle to spin the two front wheels.

The control unit varies the speed of the car by increasing or decreasing the power applied to the

motor. When the controller applies maximum power from the fuel-cell stack, the motor's rotor

spins at 12,000 revolutions per minute, delivering a torque of 159 pound-feet. A single-stage

planetary gear, with a ratio of 8.67:1, steps up the torque to apply a maximum of 1,375 pound-

feet to each wheel. That's enough torque to move the 4,200-pound (1,905-kg) car 100 miles per

hour (161 kph) on a level road. Smaller electric motors manoeuvre the wheels to steer the car,

and electrically controlled brake callipers bring the car to a stop. The gaseous hydrogen fuel

needed to power this system is stored in three cylindrical tanks, weighing about 165 pounds (75

kilograms) total.

The tanks are made of a special carbon composite material with the high structural strength

needed to contain high-pressure hydrogen gas. The tanks in the current model hold about 4.5

pounds (2 kg) of hydrogen at about 5,000 pounds per square inch (350 bars). In future models,

the Hy-wire engineers hope to increase the pressure threshold to 10,000 pounds per square inch

(700 bars), which would boost the car's fuel capacity to extend the driving range. 

Ultimately, GM hopes to get the fuel-cell stack, motors and hydrogen-storage tanks small

enough that they can reduce the chassis thickness from 11 inches to 6 inches (15 cm). This more

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compact "skateboard" would allow for even more flexibility in the body design. 

5. CONTROL

The Hy-wire's "brain" is a central computer housed in the middle of the chassis. It sends

electronic signals to the motor control unit to vary the speed, the steering mechanism to

manoeuvre the car, and the braking system to slow the car

chassis of hy-wire car 1

At the chassis level, the computer controls all aspects of driving and power use. But it takes its

orders from a higher power -- namely, the driver in the car body. The computer connects to the

body's electronics through a single universal docking port. This central port works the same basic

way as a USB port on a personal computer: It transmits a constant stream of electronic command

signals from the car controller to the central computer, as well as feedback signals from the

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computer to the controller. Additionally, it provides the electric power needed to operate all of

the body's onboard electronics. Ten physical linkages lock the body to the chassis structure.

The driver's control unit, dubbed the X-drive, is a lot closer to a video game controller than a

conventional steering wheel and pedal arrangement. The controller has two ergonomic grips,

positioned to the left and right of a small LCD monitor. To steer the car, you glide the grips up

and down lightly -- you don't have to keep rotating a wheel to turn, you just have to hold the grip

in the turning position. To accelerate, you turn either grip, in the same way you would turn the

throttle on a motorcycle; and to brake, you squeeze either grip. 

Electronic motion sensors, similar to the ones in high-end computer joysticks, translate this

motion into a digital signal the central computer can recognize. Buttons on the controller let you

switch easily from neutral to drive to reverse, and a starter button turns the car on. Since

absolutely everything is hand-controlled, you can do whatever you want with your feet (imagine

sticking them in a massager during the drive to and from work every day). 

The Hy-wire's X-drive

The X-drive can slide to either side of the vehicle.

The 5.8-inch (14.7-cm) colour monitor in the centre of the controller displays all the stuff you'd

normally find on the dashboard (speed, mileage, fuel level). It also gives you rear-view images

from video cameras on the sides and back of the car, in place of conventional mirrors. A second

monitor, on a console beside the driver, shows you stereo, climate control and navigation

information. 

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Since it doesn't directly drive any part of the car, the X- drive could really go anywhere in the

passenger compartment. In the current Hy-wire sedan model, the X-drive swings around to either

of the front two seats, so you can switch drivers without even getting up. It's also easy to adjust

the X-drive up or down to improve driver comfort, or to move it out of the way complete.

One of the coolest things about the drive-by-wire system is that you can fine-tune vehicle

handling without changing anything in the car's mechanical components -- all it takes to adjust

the steering, accelerator or brake sensitivity is some new computer software. In future drive-by-

wire vehicles, you will most likely be able to configure the controls exactly to your liking by

pressing a few buttons, just like you might adjust the seat position in a car today. It would also be

possible in this sort of system to store distinct control preferences for each driver in the family.  

POWER TRANSMISSION

The components which comprise the power transmission mechanism are the Hydrogen fuel cell

stack & the 3-phase ac motor.

The electric motor's job is to apply torque to the front wheel axle to spin the two front wheels.

The control unit varies the speed of the car by increasing or decreasing the power applied to the

motor. When the controller applies maximum power from the fuel-cell stack, the motor's rotor

spins at 12,000 revolutions per minute, delivering a torque of 159 pound-feet. A single-stage

planetary gear, with a ratio of 8.67:1, steps up the torque to apply a maximum of 1,375 pound-

feet to each wheel. That's enough torque to move the 4,200-pound (1,905-kg) car 100 miles per

hour (161 kph) on a level road. Smaller electric motors manoeuvre the wheels to steer the car,and

electrically controlled brake callipers bring the car to a stop. 

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6. Application of Fuel Cells

Fuel cells could be used in a number of applications. Each proposed use raises its own issues and

challenges. 

Automobiles:Fuel-cell-powered cars will start to replace gas- and diesel-engine cars in about 2005. A fuel-cell

car will be very similar to an electric car but with a fuel cell and reformer instead of batteries.

Most likely, you will fill your fuel-cell car up with methanol, but some companies are working

on gasoline reformers. Other companies hope to do away with the reformer completely by

designing advanced storage devices for hydrogen.

Portable Power:

Fuel cells also make sense for portable electronics like laptop computers, cellular phones or even

hearing aids. In these applications, the fuel cell will provide much longer life than a battery

would, and you should be able to recharge" it quickly with a liquid or gaseous fuel.  

Buses:Fuel-cell-powered buses are already running in several cities. The bus was one of the first

applications of the fuel cell because initially, fuel cells needed to be quite large to produce

enough power to drive a vehicle. In the first fuel-cell bus, about one-third of the vehicle was

filled with fuel cells and fuel-cell equipment. Now the power density has increased to the point

that a bus can run on a much smaller fuel cell.

Home Power Generation:

This is a promising application that you may be able to order as soon as 2002. General Electric is

going to offer a fuel-cell generator system made by Plug Power. This system will use a natural

gas or propane reformer and produce up to seven kilowatts of power (which is enough for most

houses). A system like this produces electricity and significant amounts of heat, so it’s possible

that the system could heat your water and help to heat your house without using any additional

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energy. 

7.HY-WIRE CAR SPECIFICATIONS

1. Top speed: 100 miles per hour (161 kph) 

2. Weight: 4,185 pounds (1,898 kg) 

3. Chassis length: 14 feet, 3 inches (4.3 meters) 

4. Chassis width: 5 feet, 5.7 inches (1.67 meters) 

5. Chassis thickness: 11 inches (28 cm) 

6. Wheels: eight-spoke, light alloy wheels. 

7. Tires: 20-inch (51-cm) in front and 22-inch (56-cm) in back 

8. Fuel-cell power: 94 kilowatts continuous, 129 kilowatts peak 

9. Fuel-cell-stack voltage: 125 to 200 volts 

10. Motor: 250- to 380-volt three-phase asynchronous electric motor 

11. Crash protection: front and rear "crush zones" (or "crash 

12. boxes") to absorb impact energy 

13. Related GM patents in progress: 30

14. GM team members involved in design: 500+

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15.

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8. ADVANTAGES

1. Fuel efficient - Since a fuel cell propulsion system is about twice as efficient as an internal

combustion engine, a fuel cell vehicle could provide twice the fuel efficiency of a comparably

sized conventional vehicle, and an optimized fuel cell vehicle like Hy-wire would be even more

efficient.

2. Environment friendly - Since the reaction through which the power is generated is

2H2+O2=>2H2O the only bi-product formed is water, which is a non-pollutant. Since there is no

burning or other oxidation process in the releasing of energy harmful components like nitrogen

oxides, hydrocarbons, carbon oxides and other unburnt products are not produced. Hence these

cars are highly eco-friendly.

3. High stability - As all the technical elements have been nicely blended into the chassis, most

of the power train load has been evenly distributed between the front and rear of the chassis. This

provides a low center of gravity, giving the architecture both a high stability and driving

dynamics potential. This contributes to the overall safety of the vehicle, by enabling superior

handling, while resisting rollover forces, with the tallest body attached.

4. Highly spacious - As there are no linkages and engine lot of legroom space is available for the

passengers.

5. Driver friendly - As the X-drive does not have any physical linkages with the steering

controller, it can be taken to anywhere inside the car. Moreover as everything that drives the car

is housed in the chassis, the driver does not have to sit behind a mass of machinery. This gives

the driver a clear view of the road and thus increases the drivability.

6. Freedom of individual expression - As the chassis would be common for most the Hy-wire

vehicles, one can easily remove the entire passenger compartment and replace it with a different

one.

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9. DISADVANTAGES

1. Low safety - The big concern with drive-by-wire vehicles is safety. Since there is no physical

connection between the driver and the car’s mechanical elements, an electrical failure would

mean total loss of control. In order to make this sort of system viable in the real world, drive-by-

wire cars will need back- up power supply and redundant electronic linkages.

2. Storage and transportation of hydrogen fuels - The other major hurdle for this type of car is

figuring out energy-efficient method for producing, transporting and storing hydrogen for the on

board fuel cell stack. With the current state of technology, actually the production of the

hydrogen fuel can generate about as much pollution as using gasoline engines.

3. Pricing - With the current status of development, manufacturing of the Hy-wire cars on a

mass scale would not at all be economical. According to the present accounts, the cost for

manufacturing even a single Hy-wire car would be about 1 to 2 crores.

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10. FUTURE OF HY-WIRE

Looking in to the future, Burns says he thinks fuel cells offer a promising alternative, but he

recognizes that they need to be compelling, affordable, and profitable. One area GM is tackling

is hydrogen storage. GM partnered with Quantum Technologies to develop a prototype tank that

will give you a driving range of up to 300 miles before you have to refuel.

Burns says GM is looking into other ways it can store compressed hydrogen, There is liquid for

hydrogen and there is also metal hydrides when you are storing hydrogen in a solid state, he said.

Keebler says another solution could be to build a hydrogen reformer into the car, which would

enable it to turn other fuels into hydrogen. You could also house these reforms at gas stations, he

says. Burns says you could distribute the gasoline the same way you do today, but it would go

through a reformer at the pump, creating hydrogen from the gas. Burns sees a world where GM

overcomes those obstacles and your car becomes part of your energy solution and not the

problem.

Let’s imagine a world in which you could come home at night and pull your hydrogen fuel cell

vehicle into your garage. The first thing you do is connect it to some compressed hydrogen tanks

that are also in your garage and you put hydrogen into your vehicle. You are refuelling at home,

he said. At the end of the day, if you have some leftover hydrogen in your tank, you could also

use it to power your home. He says he also envisions you being able to plug your car into your

cities electric grid and selling back fuel you don’t use. Keebler says he likes what he has seen

from the Hy-wire overall. He hasn’t been able to test-drive it yet. But he said, if they can pull

that off, they will have indeed leaped over the completion.

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11. A FEW CONCERNS

1. The big concern with drive-by-wire vehicles is safety. Since there is no physical connection

between the driver and the car's mechanical elements, an electrical failure would mean total loss

of control. In order to make this sort of system viable in the real world, drive-by-wire cars will

need back-up power supplies and redundant electronic linkages. With adequate safety measures

like this, there's no reason why drive-by-wire cars would be any more dangerous than

conventional cars. In fact, a lot of designers think they'll be much safer, because the central

computer will be able to monitor driver input. Another problem is adding adequate crash

protection to the car.

2. The other major hurdle for this type of car is figuring out energy-efficient methods for

producing, transporting and storing hydrogen for the onboard fuel-cell stacks. With the current

state of technology, actually producing the hydrogen fuel can generate about as much pollution

as using gasoline engines, and storage and distribution systems still have a long way to go. For

that and other reasons, GM is still exploring other storage techniques such as metal hydrides. To

make fuel cell cars attractive, they must match current life time expectations of 150,000 miles or

more and GM is pretty optimistic about that aspect.

3. Hy-wire is likely to spawn changes in other vehicles, and the first commercial one may not

necessarily look like Hy-wire, according to Burns: "we might find fuel cells in conventional

vehicles," for example, as well as by-wire technology. Big economies of scales are likely to be

derived from the skateboard chassis concept: Today, says Burns, GM has to design and build 12-

14 different "platforms" to cover the entire market. But with the skateboard, "there will be fewer

platforms" - maybe only two or three. And fuel cell stacks can be "snapped together" - from 10

kW for a house to 1,000 kW for a locomotive. 

So will we ever get the chance to buy a Hy-wire General Motors says it fully intends to release a

production version of the car in 2010, assuming it can resolve the major fuel and safety issues.

But even if the Hy-wire team doesn't meet this goal, GM and other automakers are definitely

planning to move beyond the conventional car sometime soon, toward a computerized,

environmentally friendly alternative

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12. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS

1. The Hy-wire concept has so profoundly brought about changes in the automotive industry that

GM and other auto makers are planning to move beyond the conventional car, towards a

computerized environment friendly alternative. They are actually planning to launch such a

vehicle for the public usage by the year 2020, hoping that they can overcome all the drawbacks.

Anyway, in all likelihood life on the highway will see some major changes within the next few

decades.

2. The problems being faced can be resolved such as a kill switch may be added for the case of

total electronic failure. Also a method for safe storage of hydrogen fuel cells can be devised.

3. The technology is extremely interesting to people in all walks of life because it offers a means

of making power more efficiently and with less pollution. But the coolest thing about this design

is that it lets you remove the entire passenger compartment and replace it with a different one. If

you want to switch from a van to a sports car, you don't need an entirely new car; you just need a

new body (which is a lot cheaper). 

4. The GM concept provides much more value than just zero emissions and twice the fuel

economy .It would provide very affordable all-wheel drive, unprecedented safety and comfort,

and no oil changes, maintenance worries or trips to the gas station.

GM may not be able to sell it publicly ever but this car clearly shows how future cars will

evolve.

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13. References:

1. King, Ralph (October 1, 2003). "GM'S Race To The Future". Business 2.0. Retrieved 2007-05-22.

2. Chernoff, Adrian. "The 2003 Hy-wire Concept Car". Ideation Genesis, LLC. Retrieved 2007-05-22.

3. Chernoff, Adrian. "The 2004 CARousel Concept Car". Ideation Genesis, LLC. Retrieved 2007-05-22.

4. Harris, Tom. "How Stuff Works: How GM's Hy-wire Works". How Stuff Works, Inc.. Retrieved 2007-05-22.

5. http://www.gm.com

6. http://www.AutocarIndia.com

7. Auto magazine

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