Test Driving a Very Special Vehicle

Maria Recchia-O’Neill rides in her new fuel cell-powered Chevy Equinox.

A science teacher in New York is one of the lucky people chosen to test drive a Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell electric vehicle.

"Project Driveway" will put hundreds of drivers in New York, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles behind the wheel of more than 100 Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles. Those chosen spend up to three months chronicling their real-world experiences driving to work, shuttling kids to school, making trips to the store and to the hydrogen refueling station. In exchange, engineers and marketers working on the next generation of vehicles will use their feedback to determine what customers like – and don’t like – about the vehicles.

Fuel cell vehicles use pure hydrogen for fuel instead of gasoline. They have electric motors instead of internal combustion engines, and their only emissions are water vapor.

Ms. Recchia-O’Neill is showing the vehicle to her students and she has already begun working on lesson plans with the district’s science teachers.

The Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell electric vehicle's only emissions are water vapor.

"There are so many ways to connect this to our students," said Recchia-O’Neill. "We can teach the technology part of it — how the fuel cell process works with electrolysis and hydrolysis — and we can connect it to decision making and social science as well. Environmental science is part of the curriculum in all middle schools in New York, and I can’t wait to use the Equinox as part of the learning process. It works for all grade levels."

General Motors will apply what it learns from Recchia-O’Neill and others to the advancement of electric drive vehicles, including the Chevrolet Volt with GM’s E-Flex system. The "E" stands for electricity; the "Flex" for the many ways to make and store electricity on board. These technologies reduce carbon dioxide emissions and lessen our dependence on oil.

Ms. Recchia-O’Neill volunteered for Project Driveway because she is concerned about the environment. "This project is terrific, because I have an opportunity to actually participate in the development and use of alternative fuels instead of just talking about it," she said. "I am a parent as well, and I am concerned about our future."