US Army to help test hydrogen-powered Chevy Colorado

Nov 20, 2015, 1:34pm ET

The fuel-cell pickups will be put through daily military use for the next 12 months.

General Motors has teamed with the US Army to develop and test a prototype Chevrolet Colorado powered by hydrogen.

The experimental pickup will be put through a year of daily use and potential abuse at the Tank Automotive Research Development & Engineering (TARDEC) facility in Warren, Michigan.

"Hydrogen fuel cell technology is important to GM's advanced propulsion portfolio, and this enables us to put our technology to the test in a vehicle that will face punishing military duty cycles," says GM's fuel-cell engineering director, Charlie Freese.

The company suggests the technology is quiet and useful in off-road environments, thanks to electric motors' low-end torque advantages, while the fuel-cell stack can serve as an emergency power generator and a source of water in arid environments.

Despite references to the "extremes of daily military use," the hydrogen-fueled Colorado is unlikely to be weaponized and shipped overseas to fight ISIS. Instead, the military trials are likely aimed at advancing fuel-cell technology in general and further exploring its potential for light tactical and civilian commercial vehicles.

GM last year announced that its fleet of more than 100 hydrogen-powered Equinox prototypes had surpassed three million miles, gaining plenty of data and feedback from approximately 5,000 different drivers. The company reportedly held the most fuel-cell patents at the time, surpassing even hydrogen-focused Toyota, however it appears to have focused its near-term production ambitions on traditional battery-powered EVs.