Fuel Cell Works Supplemental News Page

**Governor's plan to retrofit Hummer pushed 'down on priority list**
Publication date: 21-April-2004 Source: Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - Labeled an environmentalist-come-lately as a candidate, Arnold Schwarzenegger answered his critics by announcing he planned to retrofit one of his gas-swilling Hummers to run on eco-friendly hydrogen power. "I think that's where the future of fuel will be going," he said at the time. But seven months later, the high-tech Hummer has yet to hit the road. For the moment, the project has produced more talk than torque. Seven companies submitted bids to do the work - ranging in cost from $40,000 to $150,000 - but no contract has been signed, said Rick Margolin, assistant director of Energy Independence Now, a Santa Monica group that evaluated the proposals on behalf of the governor. "He does have people working on it," Margolin said. Schwarzenegger raised his proposal for a clean-fuel vehicle with officials in the Hummer division of General Motors Corp., but for now the company is not engineering a hydrogen-fueled Hummer for him or anyone else. "It's out there as an idea," said David Caldwell, a spokesman for Hummer. "It's not something that exists currently. It's not something you would expect to see in the near future." He added, "We would never do a Hummer on any energy source that would not perform like a Hummer is supposed to perform." Schwarzenegger took delivery of the first Hummer made available to the public more than a decade ago, a civilian version of a military vehicle that caught the public's attention during the first Gulf war. His popularity in Hollywood helped transform the brand into a favorite status vehicle. He was forced to defend his association with the hulking, low-mileage Hummer during the campaign when rivals questioned his environmental credentials considering his choice of transportation. General Motors markets and distributes the latest version of the vehicle, the 6,400-pound H2, and estimates it gets 10-13 mpg. Dealers put the figure at 8-10 mpg. The issue hasn't vanished. Activists planned to hold a news conference Thursday in Sacramento to urge the governor to stop driving his signature vehicle, citing its impact on air quality. There was no mention of his Hummer on Tuesday, when Schwarzenegger directed state agencies to work with private companies and research groups to develop a statewide network of stations offering hydrogen fuel within six years: "Your government will lead by example," he said in announcing the initiative. With the governor working on the statewide alternative-fueling plan, the retrofitted Hummer was "pushed down on the priority list," Margolin said. Michele St. Martin, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Environmental Protection, said the governor "keeps his promises" but provided no specifics on the retrofit. She said the proposal was moving forward but that she was unaware of what company, if any, was working on it, what funding may be involved or if any contracts had been signed for research or shop work on the Hummer. "We are trying to figure out the best way this can done," she said. Retrofitting a Hummer with clean fuel would be a challenge because of its size and the cost, but several companies expressed an interest in working on his idea. And Schwarzenegger's interest in a hydrogen-powered vehicle is far from Buck Rogers' science. Two years ago, the federal government announced it was forming a partnership with U.S. automakers aimed at creating a network of hydrogen filling stations to help accelerate production of fuel-cell cars and trucks. Nearly every automaker is investing in so-called hybrid technology, which draws power from two energy sources, typically a gas or diesel engine combined with an electric motor. Even as interest in hybrids grows, automakers have said gas-electric engines eventually will be replaced by hydrogen-powered fuel cells. Ford, among others, is working on research into hydrogen-powered vehicles, including a hydrogen internal combustion engine. Sierra Club lobbyist Bill Magavern said the gas-greedy Hummer "wreaks havoc to our environment" but viewed the governor's promise to retrofit his sport utility vehicle as "largely irrelevant." "The Hummer is the opposite kind of vehicle from what we would like to see on California streets," he said. "What's more important to us is whether he keeps his promise to reduce California air pollution by 50 percent. ... We have yet to see his strategy." ON THE NET http://www.energyindependencenow.org ~

LOS ANGELES - Labeled an environmentalist-come-lately as a candidate, Arnold Schwarzenegger answered his critics by announcing he planned to retrofit one of his gas-swilling Hummers to run on eco-friendly hydrogen power.

"I think that's where the future of fuel will be going," he said at the time.

But seven months later, the high-tech Hummer has yet to hit the road. For the moment, the project has produced more talk than torque.

Seven companies submitted bids to do the work - ranging in cost from $40,000 to $150,000 - but no contract has been signed, said Rick Margolin, assistant director of Energy Independence Now, a Santa Monica group that evaluated the proposals on behalf of the governor.

"He does have people working on it," Margolin said.

Schwarzenegger raised his proposal for a clean-fuel vehicle with officials in the Hummer division of General Motors Corp., but for now the company is not engineering a hydrogen-fueled Hummer for him or anyone else.

"It's out there as an idea," said David Caldwell, a spokesman for Hummer. "It's not something that exists currently. It's not something you would expect to see in the near future."

He added, "We would never do a Hummer on any energy source that would not perform like a Hummer is supposed to perform."

Schwarzenegger took delivery of the first Hummer made available to the public more than a decade ago, a civilian version of a military vehicle that caught the public's attention during the first Gulf war.

His popularity in Hollywood helped transform the brand into a favorite status vehicle. He was forced to defend his association with the hulking, low-mileage Hummer during the campaign when rivals questioned his environmental credentials considering his choice of transportation.

General Motors markets and distributes the latest version of the vehicle, the 6,400-pound H2, and estimates it gets 10-13 mpg. Dealers put the figure at 8-10 mpg.

The issue hasn't vanished. Activists planned to hold a news conference Thursday in Sacramento to urge the governor to stop driving his signature vehicle, citing its impact on air quality.

There was no mention of his Hummer on Tuesday, when Schwarzenegger directed state agencies to work with private companies and research groups to develop a statewide network of stations offering hydrogen fuel within six years: "Your government will lead by example," he said in announcing the initiative.

With the governor working on the statewide alternative-fueling plan, the retrofitted Hummer was "pushed down on the priority list," Margolin said.

Michele St. Martin, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Environmental Protection, said the governor "keeps his promises" but provided no specifics on the retrofit.

She said the proposal was moving forward but that she was unaware of what company, if any, was working on it, what funding may be involved or if any contracts had been signed for research or shop work on the Hummer.

"We are trying to figure out the best way this can done," she said.

Retrofitting a Hummer with clean fuel would be a challenge because of its size and the cost, but several companies expressed an interest in working on his idea. And Schwarzenegger's interest in a hydrogen-powered vehicle is far from Buck Rogers' science.

Two years ago, the federal government announced it was forming a partnership with U.S. automakers aimed at creating a network of hydrogen filling stations to help accelerate production of fuel-cell cars and trucks. Nearly every automaker is investing in so-called hybrid technology, which draws power from two energy sources, typically a gas or diesel engine combined with an electric motor.

Even as interest in hybrids grows, automakers have said gas-electric engines eventually will be replaced by hydrogen-powered fuel cells. Ford, among others, is working on research into hydrogen-powered vehicles, including a hydrogen internal combustion engine.

Sierra Club lobbyist Bill Magavern said the gas-greedy Hummer "wreaks havoc to our environment" but viewed the governor's promise to retrofit his sport utility vehicle as "largely irrelevant."

"The Hummer is the opposite kind of vehicle from what we would like to see on California streets," he said. "What's more important to us is whether he keeps his promise to reduce California air pollution by 50 percent. ... We have yet to see his strategy."

ON THE NET

http://www.energyindependencenow.org