“With this drive, General Motors has reached another important milestone toward the commercialisation of our fuel cell vehicles, by achieving the range expected by today’s consumers,” said Larry Burns, GM vice president, research & development and strategic planning. ”And we did it while producing zero emissions, as a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle only emits water. In addition, the hydrogen produced at Niagara Falls, used to fuel Sequel, was derived from hydropower – a clean, renewable resource. This means that the entire process – from the production of the hydrogen to the use of the fuel in the vehicle -- was virtually carbon dioxide (CO2) free.”

The Chevrolet Sequel was introduced in 2005 at the Detroit Motor Show and the first drivable version appeared late last year. It is the first vehicle in the world to successfully integrate a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system with a broad menu of advanced technologies such as steer-and brake-by-wire controls, wheel hub motors, lithium-ion batteries and a lightweight aluminium structure. It uses clean, renewable hydrogen as a fuel and emits only water vapor. Now it is the first fuel cell vehicle to achieve real-world range.

“General Motors is proving that advanced technology can remove the automobile from the environmental debate and reduce our dependence on petroleum," Burns said. “Chevy Sequel clearly shows that our vision for the future of the automobile is real and sustainable.”

The 300-mile drive through the US state of New York began at General Motors’ Fuel Cell Activity Centre in Honeoye Falls , where the engineers who developed the company’s fuel cell technology, officially sent the Sequel off into the history books. “It is our fuel cell teams’ tremendous record of success and absolute dedication to this tremendously important cause,” Burns said, “which will ultimately enable our country, and our world, to diversify our energy sources and displace large amounts of petroleum.”