In today s society, we depend

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1 by Pete Huscher In today s society, we depend almost entirely upon fossil fuels for our energy needs. Industrialized societies consume energy in vast amounts, accompanied by the continuous discharge of harmful emissions into our environment. The automobile continues to play a major role in society and our everyday lives. The number of vehicles on the road today is close to 750 million and is predicted to increase substantially in the coming years. Our use of fossil fuels to power these vehicles and the harmful emissions they produce will also increase substantially. The question becomes, can we really continue like this with the worldwide petroleum reserves diminishing? How Much Petroleum Do We Have Left? According to some predictions, if we continue to consume energy at our current rate, we could face a petroleum shortage in the latter part of this century. Even though nobody really knows how much petroleum is left, one thing is for sure: Someday we will run out. To delay the inevitable, we must make our industries and vehicles more fuel efficient, and use our resources more wisely. Fuel Cell Vehicles Take to the Road In my last article, we discussed the hybrid vehicles on the road today. We briefly discussed fuel cell vehicles and the possibilities of this new technology making its way into our future. Well, the future has arrived. I recently had the opportunity to visit a Fuel Cell Vehicle show in Los Angeles. I was amazed at the strides this new technology has taken in the last few years. We re not talking about little electric cars or golf carts. We re talking about real, full size vehicles adapted to fuel cell technology. Quiet, nonpolluting vehicles with an almost unlimited fuel supply. About Fuel Cells The principles for fuel cell technology were discovered in 1839 by English physicist Sir William Grove. He developed the first prototype for a small electrochemical power plant that generated electrical energy from hydrogen. Fuel cells are clean and efficient electrochemical devices that produce continuous power when supplied with fuel (hydrogen). Fuel cells have no moving parts and therefore are quiet, reliable, and have an unbelievably long life span. Fuel cells develop electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen on a molecular level. Hydrogen is supplied to the fuel cell s negative electrode, where a catalyst strips the electrons (negatively charged particles) from the hydrogen molecule. The electrons then flow from the fuel cell s negative electrode to the positive electrode, creating an electrical current. Meanwhile, the remaining hydrogen particles that have shed their electrons become hydrogen ions and are passed through a polymer electrolyte membrane to reach the fuel cell s positive electrode. There, with the help of a catalyst on the positive electrode, the hydrogen ions and leftover electrons join with oxygen to produce the only byproduct: water. Fuel Cell Structure A wide variety of fuel cells exist at this time, but automotive manufacturers are focusing on a polymer-electrolyte fuel cell. This type of fuel cell has a 14 GEARS August 2003

2 polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) with integrated electrodes on both sides of the membrane. The membranes are connected in series to produce what s called a fuel cell stack. The completed fuel cell stack is ready to produce electricity for use in almost any application. Why Hydrogen? Hydrogen is the most abundant element in our universe. It is the lightest gas on earth. It is colorless, odorless and clean burning. When burned, hydrogen turns into water without producing any harmful byproducts. Unfortunately, hydrogen, in its natural state, does not exist as a primary energy source; it has to be derived from other materials, such as water (through electrolysis), petroleum, carbon fiber tubes, and even natural gas. If we use electricity from natural resources such as solar, wind or water power to break the water molecule apart, we can produce hydrogen without releasing large amounts of dangerous emissions into our environment. How a Fuel Cell Vehicle Works In general, a fuel cell vehicle is very similar to its gas guzzling, emission spewing counterpart, except the powertrain system has been converted to fuel cell technology. The engine, transmission, fuel system and drive train has been removed and replaced with an electric drive motor, a fuel cell stack, a power control unit, a secondary battery, an air compressor and a couple of high pressure hydrogen storage tanks. Let s take a moment and look at each of these components and how they operate. Drive Motor The drive motor takes the place of the engine and is the driving force used to propel the vehicle down the road. Fuel Cell Stack The fuel cell stack converts hydrogen into electricity and delivers this electricity to the power control unit. The fuel cell is the power source for the vehicle. Power Control Unit (PCU) The power control unit (PCU) controls the power distribution and management of the fuel cell stack, regenerative braking system (if equipped), and secondary battery to the different electrical components in the vehicle. Secondary Battery or Ultra Capacitor The secondary battery or ultra capacitor stores electricity (like a big battery) and delivers this stored power to the PCU. The PCU determines the need for stored power usage depending The Chemistry of Fuel Cell Technology on driving conditions. Under normal driving conditions, the PCU would direct the stored power to the electric motor during hard acceleration, and revert to fuel cell power during normal driving. Air Compressor The air compressor delivers oxy- GEARS August

3 Are You Ready For the Future? gen to the fuel cell. The air compressor takes outside air, compresses it to a specific pressure, and then delivers this air (oxygen rich) to the fuel cell. Hydrogen Storage Tanks The hydrogen storage tanks take the place of the fuel tank. The hydrogen storage tanks are mounted under the vehicle and are protected by numerous crumple zones. These high-pressure tanks store the hydrogen for use by the fuel cell. Fuel Cells in Practice Now that we have a general understanding of how a fuel cell vehicle functions, let s look at some real fuel cell vehicles. The first vehicle we re going to look at is the 2002 Ford Focus FCV. The Focus FCV platform is the same as its non-fcv counterpart, except it uses Get Ready to Shift Gears! REMIUMS THAT WILL EDUCE YOUR INSURANCE COSTS, FROM A a 65-kilowatt (87 HP) AC induction motor, a CVT transmission, a Ballard Power Systems fuel cell, a regenerative braking system, and a 5000 PSI hydrogen storage tank. The Focus has an advertised top speed of 80+ MPH and a driving range of miles, The next vehicle is the Honda FCX. The Honda FCX is the first fuel cell vehicle in the world to receive government approval for commercial use. The FCX uses a 60-kilowatt (80 HP) AC synchronous motor, a Ballard Power system fuel cell, a regenerative braking system, and two 5000 PSI hydrogen storage tanks. The FCX has an advertised top speed of 93 MPH and a driving range of about 170 miles, The next vehicle is the Toyota FCHV. The Toyota FCHV uses an 80- EWLY ENDORSED BROKER, READY TO ELIVER PRICE & SERVICE YOUR TRANSMISSION BUSINESS. IABILITY, PROPERTY, AUTO COVERAGES & MORE! For more information and a quote call Brant Watson, Rachel Lavin or Erin Trevethan, Toll Free at Heffernan Insurance Brokers License # kilowatt (no HP rating at time of publication) permanent magnet motor, a Toyota PEM fuel cell, a regenerative braking system, and four 5000 PSI hydrogen storage tanks. The FCHV has an advertised top speed of 95+ MPH and a driving range of about 180 miles, The final group of vehicles we ll look at will be the contribution made by Daimler-Chrysler and Mercedes (referred to in this article as DCM). DCM has been experimenting with fuel cell technology for quite a while. With 16 GEARS August 2003

4 its first fuel cell vehicle NECAR 1 (New Electric Car) in 1994, DCM demonstrated that fuel cell technology was suitable for automotive applications. This primitive fuel cell vehicle had the entire load space of the Mercedes van completely taken up with the fuel cell and energy-producing components, weighing in at around 1700 lbs, leaving just enough room for the driver and one passenger. Within two years, DCM introduced the NECAR 2. This Mercedes V-class van offered six seats with a top speed of 68 MPH and a driving range of 155 miles. The entire fuel cell and drive engine was stored under the rear seat and the two hydrogen storage tanks were mounted on the roof. This made the NECAR 2 a fully usable vehicle. In 1997, DCM introduced the first fuel cell bus called NEBUS (New Electric Bus) and proved that fuel cell technology was capable of providing real working vehicles. Later that same year, DCM introduced the NECAR 3. The NECAR 3 headed off in a totally different direction than most fuel cell vehicles. Instead of carrying high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks, the NECAR 3 was capable of generating its own hydrogen on board from methanol. The hydrogen for the fuel cell was produced in an onboard methanol reformer at a temperature of around 260ºC. This was a fantastic idea. Methanol is a liquid fuel, similar to gasoline. It doesn t depend on petroleum supplies and can be produced from just about any carbon source, such as organic raw materials like scrap wood or organic biomass. The infrastructure for methanol distribution is already in place and can easily be added to any existing fuel station. This makes the methanol conversion a great idea. DCM still uses this technology today in some of the NECAR 5 and Jeep Commander 2 vehicles. DCM introduced the NECAR 4 in This A-class vehicle was the first NECAR vehicle to sandwich the entire fuel cell drive train into the floor. The NECAR 4 left the methanol conversion system behind and returned to using hydrogen storage tanks. The NECAR 4 was capable of reaching a top speed of All your needs. All at one source. Original Parts From The Original Manufacturer. Daimler-Chrysler s Necar 1, Necar 2 and Necar 3 Get Your BMW in Gear. Right Here. ZF has the manual transmission parts that will send your heart speeding. Now everything you need is at one convenient place your select ZF transmission parts and service dealer. Setting new standards in durability, reliability and performance, only Genuine ZF parts will meet your specific requirements. So if you have a BMW Z3, M3, 3- or 5-series equipped with a ZF S speed manual transmission, then contact ZF today. You ll find complete information on our full line of high-quality, high-performance Genuine ZF transmission parts and kits. At last, your search is over. ZF Industries, Inc. Passenger Car Transmissions Group Vernon Hills, IL passcarinfo@zf-group.com Driveline and Chassis Technology GEARS August

5 Are You Ready For the Future? 90 MPH and a driving range of around 280 miles. In November 2000, DCM introduced the NECAR 5, which was to be the technological successor to the NECAR 3. The NECAR 5 also produced its own hydrogen on board, using methanol and an onboard methanol reformer, just as the NECAR 3 vehicle did. A few months prior to the introduction of the NECAR 5, DCM introduced the JEEP Commander 2. The Jeep Commander 2 is a luxury-class Acknowledgements The information contained in this article was provided by the various manufacturers in the industry and gathered through general information available to the general public. I would like to thank the technicians and people from all of the manufacturers who participated in the California Fuel Cell Partnership Run for taking the time to share this new technology with the rest of the world. For more information, I would recommend contacting the following contributors: The California Fuel Cell Partnership, (which consists of eight automakers, four energy companies, two fuel cell technology providers, six government agencies, three hydrogen suppliers, three bus transit agencies and four energy station providers) They can be reached at their website: For fuel cell technology information, I would recommend contacting: Ballard Power Systems: and UTC Fuel Cells: For information related to fuel cell vehicle information: For information related to fleet use interest: SUV powered by a fuel cell and a methanol conversion system. The Commander 2 demonstrated that this environmentally-friendly drive concept could be adapted to larger vehicles. DCM is continuing to develop fuel cell technology and it looks like they re on the right track. As you can see, fuel cell technology has come a long way in recent years. The feasibility of fuel cell technology taking over the automotive industry is very possible. With hydrogen as an environmentally-friendly and almost unlimited fuel source, it seems reasonable that this technology has a clear future in our lives. technology in 1839, and the introduction of the internal combustion engine into the automotive industry around the 1880s, I find it interesting that this amazing technology wasn t introduced until recently. With the almost unlimited supply of hydrogen available from the numerous environmentally-friendly resources, there s little doubt that this technology will be a part of our future. Fuel cell technology has come a long way and will be at your doorstep soon. The future is here. Are you ready for it? A Personal Observation As I test drove the various fuel cell vehicles, I found myself wondering why this amazing technology had been put on the shelf for so long. With the discovery of the principles of fuel cell 18 GEARS August 2003