Developed Using Apollo Moon-Landing Technology, GM's Electrovan Was Ahead of Its Time | Carscoops

      The GM Handi-Bus, introduced in 1966, was the company's next venture into electric vehicles following their Electrovair and Electrovair II battery-powered Corvairs.

      GM fitted a van with a prototype fuel cell hydrogen power system during the 1960s.

      Meanwhile, NASA was utilizing fuel cells to produce electricity for Apollo missions.

      The size of the powertrain was so significant that the GM Handi-Bus ended up being a two-seater.

      While GM's interest in hydrogen fuel cell technology may appear to be a newer pursuit alongside their collaboration with Honda, the American automaker has been experimenting with this technology since the 1960s. As NASA explored fuel cells to assist in their space endeavors, GM was investigating how to utilize hydrogen on Earth.

      At the time, batteries lacked the capacity to power the Apollo command module's essential systems, such as communications, drinking water, lighting, and air conditioning; consequently, NASA turned to fuel cells, which convert hydrogen into electricity.

      Simultaneously, GM, after developing two battery-powered electric vehicles—Electrovair I and II—was eager to explore hydrogen power for terrestrial applications.

      A Fuel Cell System Too Large for the Task

      Working with Union Carbide, GM developed a fuel cell that was too large to fit into a Corvair, leading them to shift to the Handi-Bus, which was a passenger variant of the Handi-Van and rival to the VW Type 2 bus and Ford E-series. Even so, the bulkiness of the powertrain reduced the van to a two-seater.

      The fuel cell system operates by combining hydrogen and oxygen in an electrochemical reaction, resulting in water, heat, and electricity. Its size was not only due to the large hydrogen and oxygen tanks but also its considerable weight. The curb weight reached 7,100 lbs (3,220 kg), making most contemporary EVs—except for the GMC Hummer EV—appear much lighter, with 3,900 lbs (1,770 kg) attributed to the fuel cell equipment alone.

      Performance was predictably poor, with a 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) time of around 30 seconds; however, it's worth noting that a standard Handi-Bus equipped with the base 90 hp (91 PS) 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine was not particularly fast either. GM estimated a range of about 150 miles (240 km) but never conducted public road tests due to legitimate safety concerns. During one test, an external fuel tank exploded, sending debris a quarter mile (400 m) away.

      A Test Project, Not Meant for Production

      This was essentially a test project, and GM never planned to manufacture the Electrovan. However, it demonstrated that a fuel-cell vehicle could be viable and laid the groundwork for more efficient and compact future models that derive oxygen from the air rather than large tanks of compressed oxygen.

      Nearly 60 years later, GM continues to pursue both battery electric vehicle (BEV) and fuel-cell technologies, particularly believing that their Hydrotec fuel cell cubes are more suited for larger commercial vehicles, such as Komatsu's mining trucks, whereas batteries are more appropriate for lighter passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs.