Posted on 29 Jan 2024
General Motors and Honda announced on Thursday the start of commercial production at their 50-50 joint venture fuel cell production facility in Brownstown, Michigan.
The 6,503-square-metre facility represents a joint investment of $85 million, Kallanish reports. According to GM, the so-called Fuel Cell System Manufacturing (FCSM) facility is the industry’s first large-scale manufacturing JV to build fuel cells.
Both companies will utilise the products manufactured at FCSM, in product applications and business ventures. Honda will use the fuel cells in an upcoming version of its CR-V sport utility vehicle, for example, as well as products like its stationary power generators.
GM, meanwhile, markets fuel cells under its Hydrotec brand. The automaker has also previously announced plans to supply fuel cell systems to the likes of Autocar, Komatsu and Nikola Corporation.
“This is a historic day for the industry as GM and Honda … begin volume production of fuel cells for transportation and beyond,” says FCSM president Suheb Haq. “We begin the process with raw materials for membrane and electrode all the way through completed systems.”
Haq adds that ongoing investment and commitment by both partners will drive the FCSM’s success. “This commitment aligns with our mission of making high quality, durable and affordable hydrogen fuel cell systems for a wide range of applications and customers.”
The venture incorporates “first-of-their-kind methods” for automating the membrane-electrode assembly production, as well as fuel cell stack assembly.
“We integrated the strengths of Honda and GM to create the most capable production system at this joint venture,” says Tetsuo Suzuki, vice president of FCSM.
In a separate note, Honda says that while initial FCSM production will be used in support of its internal initiatives and FCEV sales, the company is exploring external fuel cell business opportunities, targeting initial sales of 2,000 units per year and then expanding sales in stages.
GM and Honda began co-developing a next-generation fuel cell system in 2013. In the years since, the companies have pooled their expertise to create a fuel cell system that is twice as durable as the system used in the 2019 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell sedan.
The companies also worked to advance the cell design and reduce the use of expensive precious metals. According to GM, these new fuel cell systems can be produced at two-thirds the cost of the system in the 2019 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell.
Source:Kallanish
