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The heart of General Motors’ newest 2003 concept vehicle, Hy-wire, was an innovative chassis, which contained all of the sedan’s propulsion, transmission, steering and braking components within its 11-inch frame and provided a single electrical connection to the body. The Hy-wire was literally designed from the inside out, with form following function. The flexibility of the chassis accommodated multiple interchangeable ‘snap on’ body styles that could be customized to meet customers’ various lifestyles. The fuel cell stack was roughly the size of a PC tower, and consisted of a block of 200 single fuel cells connected in series. The environmentally superior powerplant delivered DC voltage between 125 and 200 volts, depending on the load. This was boosted by a transformer to 250 - 380 volts and then converted to alternating current to drive the electric motor (Hy-wire’s by-wire system works with 42 volts). The Hy-wire used only a fuel cell to provide power for the electric motor, thus simplifying the development and integration. The fuel cells obtained the hydrogen needed to generate the electricity from tanks mounted securely in the center of the skateboard. The three cylindrical compressed hydrogen storage tanks were made of carbon composite material, and had a total weight of only 75 kilograms and stored a total of 2.0 kilograms of gaseous hydrogen at 350 bars (5,000 pounds per square inch). Hy-wire technology not only allowed greater design freedom but also simplifies production of left and right-hand drive models, and may improve vehicle safety. Additionally, the elimination of mechanical and hydraulic linkages saves weight and simplifies maintenance because there are fewer moving parts that can wear out. And, it is more environmentally friendly because it does not require hydraulic fluids. Hy-wire so profoundly changes the automotive industry that GM has more than 30 patents in progress covering the technologies, manufacturing processes and business models and more inventions are being added all the time.
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