World's First Drivable Fuel Cell & By-Wire Vehicle comes to region for first time for Chevrolet Live
Dubai, United Arab Emirates - 11 December 2004 - A glimpse into the future of motoring is set to roll into the Middle East for the first time at the Chevrolet Live event in the Dubai Creek Park from December 13-16. General Motors will exhibit the world's first drivable vehicle combining a hydrogen fuel cell with by-wire technology.
"The Hy-wire concept vehicle, named for its advanced technology, is as close as anyone has come yet to reinventing the automobile," says Terry Johnsson, Managing Director of General Motors Middle East. "Middle East residents can, for the first time, witness this futuristic vehicle at the Chevrolet Live event."
Johnsson adds that this is more than just a concept car: "The fact that General Motors developed Hy-wire as a drivable concept vehicle in just eight months from concept to completion shows our commitment to this technology and the speed at which we are driving into the future. Hy-wire accelerates this progress and strengthens our confidence in our ability to gain marketplace acceptance of production fuel cell vehicles."
GM aims to have compelling and affordable fuel cell vehicles on the road by the end of the decade. With Hy-wire, the technology as it exists today, has been taken and packaged it into an innovative drivable vehicle comparable in size and weight to today's luxury automobiles.
"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. There is no engine to see over, no pedals to operate - merely a single module called the driver control unit that is easily set to either a left or right driving position," says Johnsson.
Hy-wire is the product of global cooperation combining the imaginations and technical know-how of designers, engineers and stylists from the United States, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden.
By combining fuel cell and by-wire technology, GM has packaged this vehicle in a new way, opening up a new world of chassis architecture and customized bodies for individualised expression. It is a significant step towards a new kind of automobile that is substantially friendlier to the environment and provides consumers positive benefits in driving dynamics, safety and freedom of individuality.
Until the launch of Hy-wire, fuel cells and by-wire had been demonstrated as if they were an end in themselves; GM saw that the technology could enable the company to create a number of exciting new body styles for drivers to choose from. Hy-wire is a sporty yet elegant four-door vehicle with clean lines and short overhangs.
"It's a luxury vehicle in the sense that it is a luxury to have the kind of space and visibility this car provides," said Johnsson. "The design is built around the fact that there is no engine compartment; the vehicle is very open from front to rear. This is intentional to highlight the openness in the interior and the range of possibilities."
To show off this radically new architecture, the front and rear panels are made of transparent glass: visitors to Chevrolet Live will be able to see through the car from front to rear. The liberal use of glass and the absence of a bonnet also provide a greater visual command of the road for the driver. The most dramatic view of the car may be from the driver's seat: no engine, instrument panel or foot pedals impedes the aspect, leaving an open, yet secure cockpit with a floor to ceiling view.
The driver control unit, which allows steering, braking and other vehicle systems to be controlled electronically rather than mechanically, provides greater freedom for the driver. The driver accelerates by gently twisting either the right or left handgrip, and brakes by squeezing the brake actuator also located on the handgrips. The handgrips glide up and down for steering. The driver control unit also shuttles easily from side-to-side on a horizontal bar that stretches across the full width of the vehicle, enabling easy left or right-hand drive conversion.
Hy-wire so profoundly changes the automotive industry that GM has more than 30 patents in progress covering business models, technologies and manufacturing processes related to the concept and more inventions are being added all the time.
"Someday, Hy-wire could be displayed in a museum side-by-side with the first horseless carriages of Carl Benz or Gottlieb Daimler, or next to Henry Ford's Model T," concluded Johnsson.
-Ends-
About GM
General Motors, the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, was founded in 1908 and has been the global automotive sales leader since 1931. GM today employs 325,000 people and has manufacturing operations in 32 countries. Its vehicles are sold in more than 192 countries. In 2003, GM sold more than 8.6 million cars and trucks, nearly 15 percent of the global vehicle market. GM's global headquarters is in Detroit.
GM has been operating in the Middle East since the early 1940's. GM's vehicle brands sold in the region are Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, HUMMER, Opel and Saab supported by a unique set of customer focused services. GM parts and accessories are sold under the GM Parts and ACDelco brands. The regional office in Dubai covers the company's operations in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq.
In 2003, GM sold around 60,000 vehicles in the Middle East and the company continues to introduce pioneering programs in the region.
More information on GM and its products can be found on the company's consumer websites www.gm.com and www.gmarabia.com
For more information:
Saada Hammad risten Young
Communications and Public Relations Manager Account Manager
General Motors Middle East Hill & Knowlton
Tel Dubai (009714) 3143350 Tel (009714) 3344930
e-mail saada.hammad@gm.com kristen.young@hillandknowlton.com
© Press Release 2004
