Click to play videoWashington DC: The US Army is getting the keys to what's being called the car of the future.
General Motors gifted the Army with an extended test drive of it’s latest creation – the hydrogen fuel cell Equinox.
Auto manufacturers say the vehicle, which runs solely on hydrogen and oxygen, is a possible solution to rising petrol prices and environmental concerns.
“The hydrogen comes from a tank in the back of the vehicle through a set of injectors and also goes to the fuel cell stack. There, the hydrogen is combined with oxygen to make electricity,” said Daniel O'Connel of General Motors.
There isn’t any need for gasoline and therefore there are no emissions. An added bonus for the military is that the car doesn't make a sound while stealthily closing in on its prey.
“The ability to move singularly or in quantity and not be detected over distance is very important,” said Major General Roger Nadeau of the US Army.
While work on the car is going on, don't expect to drive off in the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle anytime soon.
"If it sounds too good to be true it probably is," said Virginia Tech Natural Resources Professor Patrick Michaels.
Michaels adds that although he applauds pushing the technological envelope, the concept has plenty of loopholes.
"The problem with hydrogen is that it's not common. It takes a lot of energy to fix it and then it has to be compressed which takes more energy. These are physical problems," he said.
Meanwhile, GM also admits there are other challenges. Currently the cars are expensive to make and therefore very expensive for the average driver.
GM has refused to put a price tag on the vehicle as of now. But Honda says if it were to sell one of its hydrogen fuel cell vehicles today the cost would be atleast $ 1 million.
When asked the reason for the high price of the car, Michaels said, "They're prototypical cars. They're not something you're going to be able to go down the street and buy tomorrow."
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