Chevrolet Equinox Wins Green Car Vision Award

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Publication: GasSavers.org

January 11, 2008

Zero-emissions vehicles are more than just the latest trend, but a vision of our automotive future. With Dodge touting their new electric muscle car, the ZEO, and Chevy's VOLT being awaited with much anticipation, and BMW has installed hydrogen refill stations in Southern California, there is no question that at some point alternative fuels will lose the label "alternative." While we wait, however, there are new low- and no-emission cars being introduced almost monthly, and , Green Car Journal, which offers extensive coverage on all of them, has announced the latest winner of its Green Car Vision Award, which is given to vehicles demonstrating forward-thinking technology. For the first time, the winner is a limited-production vehicle: the Chevrolet Equinox.

The Equinox, or, more correctly, the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell, combines the profile of the crossover vehicle already popular in its traditional-fuel version, with a zero-emission producing hydrogen-based power plant. There are no CO2 gases produced, and the conversion of fuel to motor power is incredibly efficient. As well, many of the most common features sought after on traditional vehicles have been incorporated into the design.

The fuel-cell version of the Equinox comes with front and side-impact air bags, the latter mounted in the roof rails, as well as a four-wheel anti-lock braking system. It also features GM's "StabiliTrac" vehicle stability system, and the increasingly popular OnStar program. More importantly, even though the power system may be unfamiliar to the average driver, the feel of the car is familiar. There is no learning curve, as is required for hybrid cars that require "feathering" techniques in order to maximize their fuel-saving capacity. The latter point - the familiar feel - is a crucial feature, because this vehicle is part of a demonstration program that will provide a hundred such cars to individuals and fleets in California, New York, and Washington, D. C., for three-month long test drives, a bold move that will greatly advance the hydrogen fuel cell cause.

The Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell competed for the Green Car Vision Award against the BMW Hydrogen 7, Honda FCX Clarity, Phoenix Electric SUT, and Toyota Prius Plug-In, which represent many alternative fuel technologies, including hydrogen internal combustion, battery electric drive, and plug-in hybrid. To be considered, cars had to be limited production models with more than one existing functional prototype. While the award, and the concept of featuring small-volume vehicles is new, Green Car Journal's reward program is well respected within the industry, and the Vision Award joins the Green Car of the Year award in recognizing vehicles that embody the potential of alternative energy sources.