News From the Auto Industry

Although a company spokesman remains mum on the subject, GM sources say there is little doubt that product czar Bob Lutz has anointed Ed Welburn as Cherry’s successor. Welburn, 52, currently is executive director-body-on-frame vehicles and would be just the sixth person in GM history to hold the job.

O’Connell reported that the company has started a fleet demonstration program in the Washington, D.C., area to obtain real-time data on fuel cell vehicles. This project is being operated by Shell Hydrogen. The centerpiece of the partnership will be a real-life demonstration of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and fueling infrastructure technology. The demonstration will feature the nation’s first hydrogen pump at a Shell retail gas station to support GM’s fleet of fuel cell vehicles. O’Connell also commented that General Motors has entered into an agreement with Dow Chemical to apply GM fuel cell technology to a stationary application. If tests proceed according to plan, Dow could eventually use up to 35 megawatts of power generated by 500 GM fuel cell units. The installation would be at Dow’s operations in Freeport, Texas.

Lowery said that General Motors firmly believes that zero emission vehicles will become a reality. She also out-lined the company’s long-term plans for achieving this goal. GM, for the near term, will continue to refine and improve today’s technology. Next, from the middle of this decade and into the next, the company will focus on hybrid technologies. And for the long term, GM will develop and bring to market vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells.