H2Rescue, this is the hydrogen vehicle that will combat natural disasters in the United States

The United States has bet on the development of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle to combat natural disasters. It will be called H2Rescue, and this is what is known about it.

The United States Department of Energy, in collaboration with the United States Army, has begun working together with the aim of developing a disaster relief vehicle specially designed with a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain.

It is worth mentioning that the United States Army has already collaborated with General Motors to develop the hydrogen fuel cell of the Chevrolet Colorado ZH2 and has seen a series of advantages that this alternative powertrain provides.

To begin with, a hydrogen vehicle can provide a source of energy, heat and drinking water for up to 72 hours, things that could have been of great help in emergency situations such as the recent wildfires in California and Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas.

A vehicle specially designed for natural disasters

At the moment, few details about the vehicle are known, including the date on which it will be used for the first time. What we do know is that the vehicle has been named ‘H2Rescue‘ by the Army Corps of Engineers. In addition, several partners intend to begin issuing requests for proposals as soon as possible, this coming autumn, which has just begun.

Once the H2Rescue has been designed and developed, it will undergo a suitability and functionality study. Both the United States Department of Energy and the Army would also be planning a joint demonstration to show how a zero-emission emergency vehicle is suitable for work in the field.

General Motors already builds vehicles for the armed forces through its Defense division. In addition to the hydrogen fuel cell of the Chevrolet Colorado ZH2 presented a couple of years ago, the company presented its larger Chevrolet Silverado ZH2 at the end of last year. This model is powered by a next-generation hydrogen fuel cell fed by three 700-bar fuel tanks and, according to reports, could have a range of more than 643 kilometers.