WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - White Plains Mayor Joseph Delfino and Larry Burns, Vice President, General Motors Research and Development and Strategic Planning drove to White Plains City Hall today in a GM hydrogen-powered vehicle to kick off the new Project Driveaway program in Westchester and the New York Metropolitan area.

Mayor Delfino and Burns arrived in a Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell vehicle, one of 100 that will be test-driven by families beginning early next year. GM is supplying the vehicles to private and commercial volunteers as part of a national test drive that will last between three and 30 months. Other areas involved in the test include Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.

"I feel like I touched a little bit of the future today," Mayor Delfino said. "We're very pleased to work with General Motors on this important test of this new technology. Zero-emissions performance is closer than people think.

"White Plains has had a longstanding history of research and demonstration programs for alternate fuels. Today, GM has provided us the opportunity to introduce their Equinox Fuel Cell vehicle on our city streets. It is another step closer toward our shared goals of a cleaner city. I would like to encourage all companies to identify new technologies that will make our air a little cleaner and our city and state a little greener."

White Plains and Shell Hydrogen have established a hydrogen filling station at the White Plains Public Works Depot. The White Plains location is a commercial fueling station located in a gated lot to effectively control ingress and egress of the Project Driveway customers wishing to refuel their fuel cell-electric vehicles. The station will be dedicated in November.

"We appreciate the leadership the city of White Plains had demonstrated in its support of alternative fuel vehicles, including GM's hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles," said GM's Burns. "We are pleased the citizens of the Westchester County area will have the opportunity to refuel the GM Project Driveway fuel cell powered vehicles at a new, state-of-the art Shell hydrogen refueling facility in White Plains."

Project Driveway details

During the past several months, thousands of interested drivers visited Chevrolet's website or contacted local Chevrolet dealers to see if they lived in a Private Driveway study area. Eligible drivers had to be at least 21 years of age, with good driving records.

"These families volunteered to be part of something big," said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. "They care about the environment, and they want to help solve our nation's energy issues. They are pioneers and we are pleased they have joined our team.

"Drivers will provide regular, candid feedback about their use of the vehicle in their daily lives, the vehicle's performance and their personal preferences, which is key in defining our product and market introduction plans for fuel cell electric vehicles."

GM is demonstrating its commitment to electrically driven vehicles - whether the source of the electricity comes from a lithium-ion battery or a hydrogen fuel cell - as the answer for helping take the automobile out of the environmental debate and reducing our dependence on petroleum.

"The Project Driveway Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell powered vehicles demonstrate an important milestone on GM's pathway to electrically driven vehicle development," said Burns.

The zero-emissions Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell SUV is powered by GM's fourth-generation fuel cell propulsion system and meets all applicable 2007 U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. The vehicle will come with a range of safety features found on other Chevrolet cars, including driver and front passenger airbags, ABS, and GM's OnStar telematics service, which will offer drivers advice on operating the cars as well as information on nearby hydrogen filling stations. The hydrogen-powered Equinox Fuel Cell is certified by the EPA as a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV).