General Motors, Quantum To Jointly Develop Hydrogen Storage Devices.(Brief Article)

General Motors and Quantum Technologies, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Impco Technologies, Inc., said they entered into an equity partnership deal for the development of hydrogen storage devices that could make future fuel cell electric vehicles competitive with today's gasoline vehicles in terms of range.

GM said it will be acquiring a substantial minority ownership position in Quantum to collaborate on improving the range of GM's fuel cell vehicles through the development hydrogen storage, hydrogen handling and electronic control technologies for fuel cell applications.

Vehicle range is a key issue in introducing fuel cells to the marketplace. One hurdle to extending the range of a fuel cell vehicle is the ability to efficiently store compressed hydrogen at high pressure. Quantum said it has set a mass performance record of 11.3 percent hydrogen storage by weight in a tank at 5,000 pounds per square inch (psi). This tank holds nearly double the amount of hydrogen compared with similar tanks used by competing technologies.

Further, Quantum has demonstrated a proof of concept storage tank that could potentially store hydrogen at 10,000 psi, the company said. This could help GM introduce a fuel cell vehicle in the future that potentially has a range equal to or greater than today's internal combustion engine. This is a key element in making fuel cell vehicles viable in the market.

"Quantum Technologies is recognized as the industry leader in hydrogen storage and handling for automotive applications," said Larry Burns, GM vice president for research and development, and planning. "We've had a long relationship with Quantum in the alternative fuels field. This agreement will enable our two companies to work together on bringing fuel cell vehicles to the market. It is a logical next step on the long road to a hydrogen-based economy." Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"General Motors is a proven leader in fuel cell research and development," said Syed Hussain, CEO and president of Quantum Technologies of Irvine, California. "They want to be the first company to put one million fuel cell vehicles on the road. That's the kind of partner we want to work with. " Hussain said one challenge in advancing fuel cell systems is the hydrogen storage module and the interface between the storage unit and the fuel cell system. Quantum will develop hydrogen storage technology and both companies will collaborate on supporting interface technologies.

"Hydrogen is the end-game when it comes to powering our fuel cell vehicles," said Byron McCormick, co-director of the General Motors Fuel Cell Program. "You must be able to store it and handle it properly and safely. Quantum has the expertise and practical experience to help GM realize its vision of making hundreds of thousands of fuel cell vehicles available to consumers. Adding Quantum Technologies, and its hydrogen storage and handling expertise to the GM team, which includes Giner Electrochemical Systems with its electrolyzer hydrogen generation technologies will speed the development of a hydrogen refueling infrastructure for fuel cell vehicles."

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