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Fuel Cell Vehicles: Automakers Step Up Competition
(8/12/2002)August 12, 2002–-If there is any doubt that the Hydrogen Economy is rapidly approaching, look no further than the rhetoric flowing from the world’s automakers. In times past fuel cell powered vehicles have been considered somewhat of a novelty; something for automakers to put in futuristic concept cars of tomorrow and display at auto shows.
These days however, the concept cars of tomorrow are moving out of the labs and taking to the highways. Indeed, virtually every automaker has fuel cell vehicles under development and, in typical fashion, are jockeying for position, in an effort to win the hearts, minds and pocketbooks of consumers the world over.
This rush to be first to market is not without its share of challenges, some of which are going to be hard to meet.
"This challenge is not just for scientists, hydrogen industry people and governments," declared Sandy Stuart, of Stuart Energy Systems, Mississauga, Ontario, and co-chair of the World Hydrogen Energy Conference (WHEC-14) earlier this year.
In spelling out some new questions for the 21st century Stuart said, "It is a challenge for economists - perhaps a new breed of economists. The challenge, for the John Maynard Keynes and the Milton Friedmans of tomorrow, is to find out how the extraordinarily valuable, multiple benefits of hydrogen can be evaluated, aggregated and get to be reflected in the price of hydrogen."
While most of the world’s automakers have had alternative fuel vehicles on the front burner for some time and have announced plans to introduce fuel cell or hybrid powered vehicles in the near term, General Motors, until now, has been seen as a laggard.
However, in recent days General Motors has moved front and center in the race to compete in the emerging field by stepping up plans to expand its fuel cell development efforts and making, what some feel are unrealistic predictions, of the market.
I an interview with Bloomberg, Paul Lancaster, Ballard Power Systems Inc.'s vice president of finance, said of GM’s plans, “That's been a bit of a surprise to me. GM had been one of the most pessimistic of all of the major automakers about this technology. In terms of the timeline (for fuel-cell vehicles), they've always been talking about 30 years out, 50 years out.
``General Motors is now saying the market for fuel cell vehicles could be something like 80 million units in the decade between 2010 and 2020. That's an outstandingly large number,” Lancaster continued.
While admitting that GM’s assessment of the market is achievable, Lancaster said, “but it is predicated on whether consumers accept this new technology.''
With energy taking on a new persona, especially since September 11, concerns about the environment are on the increase as well, "Concerns about future energy resources and the environment have intensified interest in development of more efficient, environmentally friendly powertrains," said Bernard I. Robertson, senior vice president at DaimlerChrysler
Last week New Jersey state senator, Peter A. Inverso (Republican of Mercer), introduced a series of bills intended to promote cars using cleaner-burning fuel cells, whose only emissions are water vapor.
Inverso said the legislation calls for a business tax credit for the purchase of fuel-cell-powered cars, a fuel research center at Rutgers University and a fuel-research commission. It also calls for consideration of other fuel-cell-powered equipment, such as lawn mowers. Senator Inverso said automotive plants in New Jersey that are being closed or scaled back could be retooled to manufacture fuel-cell cars.
The movement to wean our transportation system off its dependence on hydrocarbon fuels–and foreign sources of supply–has seen several milestones in hydrogen powered vehicle development this summer.
Earlier this summer BMW unveiled its fifth-generation hydrogen-burning internal combustion engine (ICE) car, the 745h. The company's first such powered vehicle took to the test track in 1979. The V8 engine burns both gasoline and hydrogen to make up for the dearth of hydrogen filling stations.
Franz-Josef Wetzel, head of BMW Future Powertrain Technology says an ICE was chosen because it is more efficient than fuel cells at delivering power at levels more than 100 kW (134 hp). The 745h engine produces 181 hp, but if optimized for high-compressing burning solely on hydrogen, with its 110 octane equivalency, 30% greater power and torque is produced. The company plans on producing the car, which features liquid hydrogen storage, in two to four years.
In the same time frame Ford Motor Co., introduced the latest prototype of the Ford Focus Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV). The car is a gaseous-hydrogen fuel cell/battery "hybrid" that the company will begin building in low-volume in 2004, according to John Wallace, executive director of Ford's environmental TH!NK Group.
A 300V Sanyo battery boosts acceleration but cannot entirely power the vehicle. A Ballard Energy Systems 85-kW fuel-cell stack is the primary power source. Other features include an electrohydraulic regenerative brake-by-wire system, an integrated powertrain combining the traction inverter module and electric-motor transaxle, and a 5,000 psi tank for hydrogen storage. Also using the Ballard fuel cell stack is Honda’s four-passenger fuel-cell car, the FCX. Honda’s FCX was the first such automobile to receive U.S. EPA and California state certification as a National Low Emission Vehicle (NLEV) and Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV), respectively.
Later this year, the company will start leasing 30 FCXs, split between California and the Tokyo area, for two to three years. While the company is not committing to mass sales of the car, "We'll have an opportunity to evaluate fuel cell vehicles in real world applications and to study the development of a refueling infrastructure," according to Tom Elliot, American Honda executive VP.
The FCX holds 157 liters of gaseous hydrogen pressurized to 5,000 psi. This fuel feeds a Ballard Power Systems fuel cell stack capable of putting out 78 kW. The 60 kW/201 lb-ft ac synchronous motor can accelerate the subcompact to 93 mph. Range is 220 miles.
