U.S. Postal Service Puts First Fuel Cell Car on Mail Route

In the first commercial application of a GM fuel cell vehicle in the U.S., the U.S. Postal Service will lease a GM fuel cell minivan to deliver mail in and around the nation's capital.

The Postal Service will begin using the fuel cell vehicle in September, which coincides with the opening of the nation's first hydrogen pump at a retail gas station. Last year, GM and Shell Hydrogen announced a partnership to provide hydrogen for a GM fleet of fuel cell vehicles operating around Washington, D.C.

"The U.S. Postal Service is a perfect partner at this stage in fuel cell development," said Larry Burns, GM vice president of research & development and planning. "Unlike many fleets, USPS uses retail gas stations, yet provides new opportunities to prove out durability and performance. The Postal Service operates everywhere in the U.S., giving us maximum flexibility to expand the relationship in areas or regions where a hydrogen infrastructure gets kicked off."

Other applications of GM fuel cells are with Federal Express Corp. (FedEx) and Dow Chemical Co. FedEx has been using a GM minivan to deliver packages in Tokyo for the last year. Dow Chemical is using a GM fuel cell to help power up one of the world's largest chemical plants at a 30-square-mile site in Freeport, Texas.