At the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP), in West Sacramento, California, our first ride was in the Daimler (Mercedes) F-Cell, the hydrogen fuel cell car based on their A-Class subcompact which is sold in Europe and Australia, but not in SUV-lands of North America.
The entire fuel cell system is housed in the floor of the vehicle, allowing room for passengers and cargo. Daimler's F-Cell has a range of approximately 100 miles and a top speed of 85 mph. The electric motor develops 65 kw (87 hp), enabling acceleration from 0-to-60 mph in 16 seconds. The motor is hooked directly to the front wheels, there is no transmission like in a standard car. The fuel cell stack has been developed by Daimler's cooperation partner, Ballard Power Systems.
Similar to the other vehicles at CaFCP, the hydrogen is stored, compressed to a high pressure of 350 BAR (3500 psi), in a specially designed tank made of high impact carbon-fibre reinforced materials designed to withstand crash impact. Soon CaFCP will be installing in their vehicles newer hydrogen fuel tanks designed to handle 700 BAR (10,000 psi) which will nearly double the range of the vehicles.
We three passengers buckled up. There was just silence when the very tall, Daimler-factory auto engineer/driver clicked on the key. There was instant acceleration. There were no normal petrol engine sounds -- no starter sounds, no engine running; just an eerie silence. Even with four adults aboard we moved out rapidly to 40 mph. CaFCP's limited available driving space kept everyone from going any faster.
There was a display on the Daimler F-Cell's dashboard showing a graphic of the power train: a hydrogen fuel cell, the lithium-ion battery, an inverter, the electric motor, with moving arrows for the flow of air, hydrogen gas, and electricity. When accelerating, you see energy flow quickly from the hydrogen fuel cell to the battery. During parking or low-speed manoeuvring, the electric motor draws its power only from the battery. The electric motor doubles as a generator that charges the battery during braking by a regenerative cycle, much like hybrid cars also do.
All the hydrogen vehicles at CaFCP have a 12-volt battery system to run the lights, air-conditioner, and other accessories just like a normal vehicle. The cars even have those annoying seat belt buzzers. The battery and fuel cell are kept cool by a liquid coolant radiator. A separate function is to provide interior heating. We didn't need nor test the heating system during the 100 degree F (38 degree C) day of our ride.
Our second demo was Ford Motor's 2002 four-door Focus powered by hydrogen. The interior size and power train configuration were about the same as the Daimler. The interior fit-n-finish of the Ford Focus was, as you would expect from an older car, noticeably less refined than the Daimler (Mercedes). The fuel cell capacity was larger and the Focus has a 160 mile range with a claimed top speed of 99 mph.
Contrast that with Ford Motor Company's Hydrogen Fusion 999 race car, also powered by a fuel cell connected to the electric motor, and clocked at 207 mph last summer at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The Ford Hydrogen Fusion 999 is named after the car that Henry Ford drove to a land speed record in 1904 of 91.32 mph. Ford Motor Company also has larger trucks and buses powered by hydrogen fuel cells they are testing.
Then there were the three SUV's at CaFCP. These SUVs proved that hydrogen power is do-able in larger vehicles.
Our first SUV ride was the Nissan X-Trail FCV. It is based on their compact crossover SUV which has been in regular production since 2001. The hydrogen powered Nissan X-Trail FCV is based on a 2005 model which weighs in at 1860 kg (4100 lbs) and seats five full-sized adults in SUV comfort. The lithium-ion battery sits in the same place as the standard petrol fuel tank. The rest of the fuel cell system is built into the chassis area.
The most noticeable thing was that we four adults all had leg and head room of a normal crossover SUV without sacrificing the rear cargo area. The next impression was the more rapid acceleration from the 90kw (122 hp) electric motor even though the vehicle is heavier than the Daimler F-Cell or Ford Focus H-FCEV. This is because an electric motor is able to produce maximum torque at a relatively low current flow. Thus, the first several hundred feet of acceleration feels more rapid than a comparable petrol powered vehicle.
The driver of the Nissan was also an electric car hobbyist. He promised a future interview and explanation of his home-brew electric vehicle. We will hold him to his word on that one.
Next came Toyota's FCHV which is based on their 2005 Highlander body design. The Toyota Highlander was one of the first midsize crossover sport-utilities to appear on the scene. With its car-like unibody design, the original Highlander provided a variety of benefits over Toyota's more traditional SUVs, such as better handling, less cabin noise, improved crash-worthiness, and easier entry and exit for passengers. The 2008 Highlander has all the luxury items you would expect in a high-end SUV. With the exception of the hydrogen fuel cell, lithium-ion battery, and electric motor power, the 2005 FCHV we rode in is a mirror image for the interior and exterior of any Highlander on the road today.
Toyota's 2005 FCHV and their 2009 FCHV-adv take advantage of the lithium-ion battery technology from their best selling Prius hybrid. Thus, a major component of their power train has a proven history of hundreds of thousands of Prius cars on roads around the world. The 2005 FCHV we rode in has the 350 BAR (3500 psi) hydrogen fuel tanks. Toyota has the newer designed 700 BAR (10,000 psi) units installed in its 2009 FCHV-adv high-performance SUV powered by hydrogen.
Finally, there was the GM Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell SUV. Genuine “Made-in-America”! The Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell contains General Motor's fourth-generation, fuel-cell-propulsion system, including a 93 kw fuel cell, 73 kw front-wheel drive 3-phase asynchronous electric motor, and 35 kw nickel metal hydride battery pack. The Equinox Fuel Cell uses 3 carbon fiber fuel tanks, pressurized to 700 BAR (10,000 psi) and has a range of 200 miles before refueling. With a top speed of 100 mph, the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell accelerates from 0-to-60 mph in 12 seconds. The 5-door, 4-seat vehicle is expected to meet all 2007 U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards per the factory brochure.
One of the selected 100 drivers for GM's Project Driveway three-month test of Equinox Fuel Cell SUV said on a blog that his 330 hp V-8 powered Jeep Cherokee was slow to accelerate compared to the high-torque electric motor in the Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell SUV. But, at higher speeds the V-8 shows its greater power to pass other cars.
However, he liked the electric motors driveability more than older petrol powered American V-8 engines. That is saying a lot coming from an American V-8 gas hog owner.
Chevy Equinox coming and Nissan X-Trail going away
Overall, we had a successful introduction to getting around in hydrogen fuel cells and electric powered passenger vehicles. Our final question for the press people at CaFCP was; how soon could we drive one of these environmentally friendly vehicles on the roads of Northern California? 'Not today' was the answer.
According to the California Air Resources Board three million vehicles having their very clean Zero-Emission Vehicles rating will be on the road by 2010, all warranted for 15 years or 150,000 miles to keep emissions systems running properly. X
Check out
Part One |