Virgin Airways Joins GM Fuel-Cell-Vehicle Demonstration Test

NEW YORK – General Motors Corp. signs Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. for its Project Driveway fuel-cell-vehicle demonstration program.

The program is the largest fuel cell-powered vehicle test ever, placing more than 100 Chevrolet Equinox FCVs in the hands of ordinary drivers and special commercial partners for 30 months.

Lawrence Burns, GM’s vice president of research and development and strategic planning, and Virgin Atlantic President Sir Richard Branson reveal at a press conference here the airline will use Equinox FCVs to transfer VIP clients at the Los Angeles International Airport.

The companies also are studying extending the program to New York in the future. Virgin believes the test will help reduce its carbon footprint on the ground.

The airline also recently conducted a test of biodiesel fuel in one of its planes.