According to the U.S. Department of Energy, if every vehicle in the U.S. were a hybrid by 2025, our nation would still need to import as much oil as we do today due to the growth of vehicle use. "You can't pick up a newspaper today without reading concerns about the growing demand for oil and we're 98% dependent on foreign oil," said Larry Burns, Vice President of Research and Development & Strategic Planning at General Motors. It's statistics like these that are prompting both domestic and foreign auto manufacturers to pursue renewable and sustainable sources of energy.
For over a decade, auto manufacturers have been experimenting with power sources called fuel cells. These cells use hydrogen to generate electricity by creating a chemical reaction that releases energy, which can be used to power a vehicle. Some automakers have fuel-cell vehicles on the road in the United States today for limited test use in the hopes that this technology will one day become a viable alternative to gasoline-powered engines.
This example fuel cell from Ballard is about
the size of a large microwave oven. The idea behind a fuel cell is
that hydrogen and oxygen go in and electricity and a small amount
of water come out.The
Concept
The key reactant in most of today's fuel cells is compressed
hydrogen. Individual cells consist of two oppositely charged plates
and a proton exchange membrane through which hydrogen is passed.
The hydrogen gas is split into atoms by a catalyst, often platinum.
The reaction between hydrogen and oxygen frees created electricity
used to power the car. Because a single fuel cell doesn't
generate much power (only 0.7 volts), the many cells are stacked on
top of others, creating a fuel-cell stack producing enough combined
juice to power a vehicle.
The Domestic Effort
Cruising the streets of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Washington, D.C.,
are two vehicles many thought wouldn't make their public debut
for decades. They are vehicles that drive softly but carry a big
stick, as well as the hopes of a generation weary of fossil-fuel
dependency. They are a UPS truck and a United States Postal Service
minivan, each powered by a fuel-cell stack system. These vehicles
are DaimlerChryslers' and General Motors' latest attempts
to test fuel-cell technology in the consumer marketplace.
"Hydrogen is an important step to a long-term future of energy
sustainability," Burns said.
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Chrysler's F-Cell
The Chrysler F-Cell is based
on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class that is sold in Europe. It uses a
Ballard fuel cell and can travel about 100 miles between fuel
stops."DaimlerChrysler has more
fuel-cell vehicles in use around the world than any other company.
We are committed to zero emission technology and the development of
future propulsion," said Doanh Tran, manager of fuel-cell
systems advanced vehicle engineering at DaimlerChrysler. Tran spent
a day escorting journalists on mini test drives of Chrysler's
newest hydrogen-powered fuel-cell vehicle, dubbed F-Cell.
Based on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, a 4-door passenger car on sale only in Europe, Chrysler's F-Cell is powered by an 85 kilowatt Ballard Power Systems fuel-cell system located under the floorpan. This is coupled with a 65-kilowatt electric motor that drives the front wheels. Two compressed hydrogen tanks sit behind the fuel stack and supply gas to the system. These tanks allow the car to travel about 100 miles before refueling.
After turning the key, the F-Cell sounds like it's preparing for liftoff. In reality, the car's max speed is about 85 mph, taking a leisurely 14 seconds to race from 0 to 60 mph. Though in routine driving the F-Cell is quieter than a conventional vehicle, a dust-buster-like whirring sound is noticeable at all times. This buzz is due to an air-intake system under the hood, and is something Tran says will be eliminated in future vehicles.
GM's Hydrogen 3
Fresh from its European marathon, journalists recently got a chance
to ride in GM's newest fuel-cell offering, Hydrogen3. Based on
the European Opel Zafira, this small minivan completed a 38-day
6,024.8-mile endurance test run from Hammerfest, Norway, to Lisbon,
Portugal.
Under the hood of the GM
HydroGen3, things don't look much different than a conventional
gasoline-powered vehicle. However, with today's fuel-cell
concepts, engineers also make use of the floor and trunk of the
vehicle to house fuel-cell components.Using
the existing Zafira structure, engineers replaced the engine with a
microwave-oven-sized fuel-cell stack. The onboard liquid-hydrogen
tank carries 4.6 kg of hydrogen, allowing the vehicle to travel 249
miles before refueling. With a top speed of 99 mph, Hydrogen3
starts-up quieter than a combustion-engine vehicle, with the
whirring from the air intake system making up most of the
noise.
The Hydrogen3 has the capacity to operate in below-freezing temperatures, but now the challenge is to get it to operate continually and repeatedly in cold weather, like the long months of Midwestern winters, for example. Other progress has also been made, Burns explained. Currently, GM's fuel-cell stack is seven times more powerful than those from six years ago and they've also made moderate strides in reducing materials costs.
"We're making dramatic progress with the fuel-cell propulsion system, but one challenge is how we are going to go about getting from our vision to high volume sales," Burns said.
The Pros
- Zero Emissions--Since the fuel cell relies on chemistry and not combustion for power, emissions from this system are much different than emissions from fuel-combustion processes. In fact, the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen actually produces water vapor as a by-product.
- Fuel Efficiency--According to the National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council, the cost of hydrogen per mile driven will be between 27 and 52 percent lower than the cost of gasoline based on $1.80 per gallon in a car that averages 28 miles per gallon.
- Energy Independence--In the eyes of many, the most important reason to develop hydrogen-powered vehicles is to break away from the world's dependence on oil, which is becoming more expensive and less plentiful daily. The exploration of renewable power sources will lead to a decreased dependency on the depleting supply of fossil fuel. This will also take foreign oil issues out of the geopolitical stability equation.
The Cons
-
This "cutaway" drawing of the Honda FCX illustrates all of the components of a typical fuel-cell vehicle.High Costs--The Department of Energy projects that if fuel-cell stacks were in mass production now, they would cost $225 per kilowatt. On the 85-kilowatt A-Class F-Cell, for example, the public would be shelling out $19,125 just for the fuel-cell stack. According to the Department of Energy, the cost of the stack system will have to be around $30-$50 per kilowatt before the vehicles could reach mass production. The high cost of a fuel-cell stack's components is another hurdle. Rare metals, like platinum, are used as a catalyst in the fuel-cell stack, and prices for such rare materials are not expected to decrease. - Infrastructure Issues--Currently, hydrogen-refueling stations do not exist for consumers, and there is no national system that produces and distributes hydrogen. In 2003 GM estimated that an infrastructure which supports one million fuel-cell vehicles, with hydrogen fueling stations every 25 miles on the interstates connecting the 100 largest cities in the U.S. would cost between $10-$15 billion. However, the oil industries spend a combined amount of around $11 billion per year maintaining service stations and fleets. "One vision," Burns explained, "is to be able to have the capacity to make hydrogen in your homes."
- Real-World Feasibility--Although the auto companies worldwide have been experimenting with this technology for years, there are still several hurdles to contend with. For example, Tran explained that although the F-Cell works well in cold weather, drawing heat away from the stack better, the vehicle cannot yet be continually stored outdoors because freezing temperatures would damage the fuel-cell stack. Also, the current F-Cell is only capable of a top speed of 85 mph, and has a range of just 100 miles before it needs to be refueled.
On the Road Today
Honda has several fuel-cell-powered cars running around the United
States in municipal fleets, and just recently leased a car to a
family in Redondo Beach, California, for the next two years. Called
the FCX, Honda's fuel cell is similar in size to Chrysler's
F-Cell and has a range of 190 miles. It will get its hydrogen from
some of the country's first pumping stations currently being
constructed in the Los Angeles area.
General Motors showed two
vehicles at the 2005 Detroit Auto Show. The Autonomy (foreground)
packages all of the vehicle's powertrain components in the
floor or chassis, freeing designers and engineers to come up with
wild exterior designs. The Sequel (background) was conceived as a
more conventional fuel-cell vehicle.Brian
Williams, the deputy mayor for the city of Los Angeles currently
uses one FCX as a daily driver. According to Willams, "the
performance of the FCX is comparable to a fossil-fueled vehicle;
similar in speed, acceleration, and deceleration." However,
the Deputy Mayor is most proud of the fact that when driving the
FCX he is not polluting the atmosphere.
By the Year 2010?
High hopes abound among both foreign and domestic automakers.
Chrysler reports its fuel-cell vehicles will be available for
public use in the year 2015, while GM is more optimistic, claiming
marketplace readiness by 2010 and a fuel-cell stack costing just
$5,000. Honda optimistically claims that fuel cells will have a
market share of 5% by 2020. Toyota's also aiming high. Their
goal is to lower the cost of a fuel-cell vehicle to $50,000 by
2015.
Although the road to fuel-cell mass production looks long and expensive at this point, many industry experts tout the fuel-cell vehicle as the answer to the renewable energy source search. Apparently, auto manufacturers worldwide agree as they spend billions of research dollars a year toward advancing this technology in labs, test fleets, and select test programs in cities throughout the world. While the research may go on for a decade or more, consumers should be more concerned with today's advances in fuel efficiency then waiting for fuel-cell technology that may be decades away.
Existing Fuel-Cell Vehicles
 Chrysler F-CellDaimler Chrysler Group F-Cell and B-Cell passenger cars, Sprinter Van, and Citaro bus They have 100 fuel-cell vehicles available in test and demonstration fleets. Currently, the F-Cell goes 85 mph, and can travel 100 miles without stopping. The group also developed the Dodge fuel cell Sprinter van and Mercedes Citaro bus. Thirty Citaro busses are in operation throughout several European cities. Recently, Mercedes-Benz announced the B-Cell. It has a range of 250 miles and operates on a 100kw fuel-cell stack. |
 Ford FCVFord FCV-Hybrid passenger car The FCV is Ford's third generation hybrid-fuel-cell Focus. It runs on an electric motor powered by 2 sources: a hydrogen fuel cell stack and electro-hydraulic regenerative braking. Thirty have been produced for field testing. It is based on the 2002-model year four-door Ford Focus platform, but is slightly modified. Driving range is 160-200 miles with speeds around 80-85 mph. |
 General Motors HydroGen3 General Motors HydroGen3 passenger car, Hy-wire, Autonomy, and Sequel concept vehicles The HydroGen3 is currently being driven in Tokyo and Washington D.C and has a top speed of 99 mph. It is now being used by the United States Post Office as a daily delivery vehicle throughout the Washington D.C. area. GM's Hy-Wire combines a hydrogen fuel cell with by-wire technology and uses a driver control unit and an electronic monitor to control the car's functions. Autonomy and Sequel are two other fuel-cell concept car offerings from the domestic manufacturer. |
 Honda FCX Honda FCX passenger car Honda has developed and manufactured their own fuel cell stack for the FCX. Max speed is 93 mph and it can be driven for 190 miles without stopping. The FCX has been tested by the public throughout the Los Angeles area, where plans for hydrogen filling stations are being developed. The FCX is also able to start and be stored in sub-freezing temperatures (as low as -4 degrees Fahrenheit), previously a major hurdle to overcome. |
 Hyundai Tucson FCEV Hyundai and Kia Tucson and Sportage FCEV, SUVs The companies used parallel engineering programs to develop these fuel cell electric hybrid SUVs. Both vehicles share a top speed of around 93 mph and a driving range of about 180 miles. Hyundai has made 32 vehicles available for field testing. |
 Toyota FCHV Toyota Toyota FCHV SUV The fuel cell hybrid vehicle is based on the Highlander, and gets part of its power from the same hybrid technology used in Prius. Its range is 180 miles, with a top speed of 96 mph. They are being road tested in Japan and California. |
