Chevrolet Helps Get 11,000 Hours Talk Time for Soldiers

Eleven thousand hours of talk time won’t bring far away relatives physically closer, but it can go a long way in curing homesickness for soldiers overseas.

Chevrolet’s efforts in the Cell Phones for Soldiers program so far has helped collect 20,000 cell phones, more than enough to provide 2,200 pre-paid calling cards with 300 minutes each to a group of soldiers in Afghanistan.

“These cards will provide our camp population with six months worth of calls, more than enough to call home for every holiday or family event from Thanksgiving to Mother’s Day,” said Col. Liana L. Bratland, Director of Human Resources/CJ1 for NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan/Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan. “That connection to home is a big morale booster for the troops and their families.” 

As an extension of the GM Military Discount Program, Chevrolet has been supporting Cell Phones for Soldiers since May. To date, Chevrolet has helped collect more phones for the cause at collection boxes in a variety of locations from General Motors headquarters to auto shows around the country.

In the days leading to Thanksgiving, Chevy is partnering with the Livonia Public Schools in suburban Detroit to host a contest among six schools to see which can collect the most used cell phones. Chevy is providing an additional 2, 000 prepaid calling cards and that students can send to troops serving overseas.

“Many of our own students have family members who have served overseas,” said Dr. Randy Liepa, Superintendent of Livonia Public Schools. “We look forward to working with Cell Phones for Soldiers and Chevrolet to support the families who are sacrificing their holidays to serve our country.”

All phones collected for Cell Phones for Soldiers are recycled, and the proceeds are used to purchase prepaid calling cards for members of the U.S. Armed Forces. The registered 501(C)3 was founded in 2004 by brother and sister Robbie and Brittany Bergquist.  To date, they have provided more than 60 million minutes of free calling cards through a national network of individual and corporate supporters.

For more information, please visit www.gmmilitarydiscount.com.

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Testing Under Way on Production-Intent System for 2015 Commercialization

General Motors Co. is testing a production-intent hydrogen fuel cell system that can be packaged in the space of a traditional four-cylinder engine and be ready for commercial production in 2015.

The system is half the size, 220 pounds lighter and uses about a third of the platinum of the system in the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell electric vehicles used in Project Driveway, the world’s largest market test and demonstration fleet of fuel cell electric vehicles that began in late 2007 and has amassed nearly 1.3 million miles of everyday driving in cities around the world.

“Our learning from Project Driveway has been tremendous and these vehicles have been very important to our program,” Charles Freese, executive director of GM's Global Fuel Cell Activities told reporters Tuesday at a news briefing on GM’s fuel cell progress.

“The 30 months we committed to the demonstration are winding down, but we will keep upgrades of these vehicles running and will continue learning from them while we focus efforts on the production-intent program for 2015.

”Some of the 119 fuel cell electric vehicles in Project Driveway will receive hardware and software upgrades and will become part of a technology demonstration program with the U.S. Department of Energy. Others will be driven by businesses and a few will be used to continue showing that, with proper fueling infrastructure, hydrogen fuel cells are a viable alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles.

“We will continue to use the Project Driveway fleet strategically to advance fuel cell technology, hydrogen infrastructure, and GM's vehicle electrification goals,” Freese said.

The first long-term loan of the new-look Chevy fuel cell vehicle will be to Stephanie White, a fuel cell advocate who was among the first Project Driveway participants and regularly blogs on her vision for a hydrogen economy in which zero-pollution fuel cells are a mainstream source of transportation. Freese presented White with the keys to the car on Tuesday.“

Driving the Chevy fuel cell around LA has been an amazing experience,” White said. “People are always stopping me to ask questions about the vehicle and I tell them how powerful and eco-friendly it is.”

Phillips Chevrolet has Illinois’ Largest Chevy Inventory! We have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and are one of the Largest Chevy Dealers in the United States. Visit us at www.phillipschevy.com. View our specials! Follow Phillips Chevrolet on Facebook and Twitter to receive coupons, special offers and prizes!