Brian Braiker
|
Jan 9, 2008 12:56 PM
"We believe the future of automobiles is bright and electronic." So said GM CEO Rick Wagoner last night at his keynote address,
the first such speech delivered by a Detroit chief at CES. To prove his
point, he unveiled its new hydrogen-powered Cadillac Provoq--certainly one of the biggest pieces of hardware to debut in
Vegas this week. Good thing there are so many hydrogen refueling
stations in this country! Oh, wait ...
Like the Chevy Volt, the Provoq would run on GM's new "E-Flex" architecture.
It won't be ready for several years, but the Provoq, with its fuel cell
stacks and lithium ion battery pack, is certainly an exciting prospect
as fuel prices hover at the $100-per-barrel mark. It could also be the
first zero-emission luxury car, running up to about 100 mph and
emitting only water vapor. And yet. What Wagoner neglected to mention
is that hydrogen fuel is made by reforming natural gas, a process which
releases CO2. Not so efficient ... or, for that
matter, green.
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