GM HYDROTEC hydrogen-powered mobile charger
Providing various support to disaster victims
In addition to providing emergency vehicles to the Red Cross, GM is providing various forms of assistance to customers in the disaster-stricken areas, including assistance with purchasing new vehicles and payment deferrals.
On January 7, 2025, multiple large wildfires broke out in Los Angeles County, California. The damage rapidly spread due to the strong winds and severe drought typical of this time of year. Even now, two weeks after the fires began, the wildfires have not been extinguished, and many buildings have been destroyed.
In response to the disaster, GM conducted an employee donation campaign for the American Red Cross Los Angeles District and the California Fire Department Foundation, provided emergency response vehicles to the Red Cross, and made available assistance to customers with damaged or destroyed GM vehicles. Customers can also receive assistance toward the purchase or lease of a new vehicle, subject to certain eligibility and restrictions.
Duncan Aldred, GM’s vice president of Global Commercial and Growth, explained the company’s support for the disaster-stricken areas:
“GM is expanding its local support for those affected by the California wildfires, including our employees and customers. We will be deploying our resources to find ways to help get people back on the roads and contribute to the recovery in the coming months.”
Deploying multiple charging solutions to affected areas
The Yoshi Mobility charging trailer shown in the photo uses liquid propane as fuel and can charge two vehicles simultaneously. Three units will be deployed to the disaster area.
GM will provide mobile charging stations to affected areas that have lost power. Between February 1 and April, GM will deploy three mobile EV charging solutions in the greater Los Angeles area to help those who have lost their homes (and home chargers).
The three GM HydroTech mobile charging systems being introduced this time are capable of DC fast charging two EVs or plug-in hybrids at a time. The renewable hydrogen-powered charging systems are in the testing phase and are not yet commercially available. The HydroTech chargers are part of GM’s efforts to commercialize hydrogen energy technology.
The three “Yoshi Mobility Charging Trailers” run on liquid propane and can each provide DC fast charging for two vehicles at a time. Yoshi is a Nashville, Tennessee-based mobile charging company partially funded by GM Ventures. One of the vehicles will be developed by InCharge Energy, which will combine a battery energy storage system with a biodiesel generator and feature five DC fast chargers.
