Bridging the Gap to a Hydrogen Economy

  • Tim Olding, GM Holden Ltd, Australia
  • Global energy demand is expected to exceed the current glide path for supply. There are several risks that can disrupt the existing supply including above ground infrastructure, natural disasters, wars or hostile regimes.GM is committed to continuing to develop and support implementation of technologies that will significantly reduce oil consumption and CO2 emissions. GM's energy diversity strategy considers there is no single solution to the complex challenge of supplying long term sustainable mobility, and that a range of technology solutions will be required. GM is revolutionising the way future vehicles will be designed, built and used. By applying advanced technologies it aims to ensure that tomorrow's cars will be safer, cleaner, more efficient and minimised as a factor in the environmental equation. Its strategy of sustainable mobility addresses efficiency and emissions from today's technology, to hybrid vehicles and ultimately to a fully viable hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system. To accomplish this GM is pursuing energy diversity on several fronts. Concurrently, GM Holden's alternative propulsion strategy is based on near-term, mid-term and long-term plans which bridge the current state of petrol dependence to the attainment of a hydrogen economy.