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Daimler launches F-CELL, as Germany plans for H2
fUelCELLS BULLETIN
www.fuelcellsbulletin.com
ISSN 1464-2859 September 2009
Daimler launches F-CELL, as Germany plans for H2
M
ercedes-Benz is launching its first series-produced fuel cell car on the road: the B-Class F-CELL. Production of the B-Class F-CELL will commence in late 2009 with a small production run. The first batch of around 200 vehicles will be delivered to customers in Europe and the US at the beginning of next year. Daimler is also joining several leading German companies that have agreed to develop a plan for a nationwide hydrogen infrastructure, called the ‘H2 Mobility’ initiative. The companies have signed a memorandum of understanding with the transport ministry, aiming for a significant expansion of the hydrogen fueling station network by the end of 2011. The B-Class F-CELL has a performance similar to 2.0-liter diesel car, and is just as suited for everyday driving. The electric motor has a peak performance of 100 kW (136 hp) and maximum torque of 290 Nm (214 lb-ft), which is available from standstill. The zero-emission drive system consumes the equivalent of 3.3 liters of diesel per 100 km (71.3 mpg) in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). Its driving range of nearly 400 km (250 miles) and short refueling times of around three minutes ensure zero-emission mobility for long stretches. As in hybrids with combustion engines, the F-CELL car uses a lithium-ion battery, with an output of 35 kW and a capacity of 1.4 kWh, to boost power and recover braking energy. ‘2009 is the year in which we are establishing further milestones where sustainable mobility is concerned,’ says Daimler board member Dr Thomas Weber, responsible for Group R&D for Mercedes-Benz Cars. ‘The B-Class F-CELL is taking on a pioneering role as the world’s first fuel cell powered automobile to be produced under series production conditions.’ [Although Honda might take issue with that [FCB, July 2008] – Editor.]
The vehicle features Daimler’s next generation of compact, high-performance fuel cell system, using gaseous hydrogen stored at 700 bar (10 000 psi). The fuel cell system has excellent cold-start capability, down to –25°C. The drive system is completely new compared with the A-Class F-CELL, presented in 2004, with considerable improvements in output, torque, operating range, reliability, starting characteristics, and comfort. As with the A-Class F-CELL, the fuel cell drive components are tucked away in the sandwich floor architecture, where they are protected and keep the vehicle’s interior and trunk fully usable. Mercedes engineers have tested and optimized the drive-specific components’ safety in more than 30 additional crash tests on the B-Class F-CELL. Meanwhile, the H2 Mobility initiative will evaluate the creation of a hydrogen infrastructure in Germany, to promote serial production of fuel cell vehicles. The partners are Daimler, EnBW, Linde, OMV, Shell, Total, Vattenfall, and the NOW GmbH National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology, although additional participants are welcome. The MoU comprises two phases. Phase One includes the evaluation of options for an areawide rollout of hydrogen fueling stations in Germany, and the definition of a joint business plan, including an analysis of possible public support measures. In Phase One partners will leverage plans to install new hydrogen stations by 2011. This will take place within the framework of the German economic stimulus package, and other national and state programs to jointly address standardization and cost-reduction issues. Subject to the positive and satisfactory outcome of such a business case agreement, the partners will implement the corresponding action plan in Phase Two. The nationwide rollout of hydrogen fueling stations will be continued, supporting the introduction of series-produced, hydrogen-powered vehicles in Germany around 2015. NOW GmbH National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology: www.now-gmbh.de
Contents NEWS Daimler launches F-CELL, Germany plans H2 1 ROAD VEHICLES Brazil launches fuel cell bus, hydrogen station 2 MOBILE APPLICATIONS SFC fuel cell onboard power for Daimler vans 2 Fuel cell takeoff for DLR’s Antares aircraft 3 UltraCell fuel cell systems for Ohio UAV center 3 SMALL STATIONARY Follow-on b+w order for IdaTech systems 4 Fuel cells back up TETRA stations in Denmark 4 Plug Power, WTTIL deal for Indian cell towers 4 Neah, EKO micro energy for Indian villages 5 Hydrogenics modules for France, Greenland 5 Plug Power to operate GenSys in NY homes 6 LARGE STATIONARY Coca-Cola using fuel cells from UTC Power 6 FCE turns onion juice to power in California 6 PORTABLE & MICRO Protonex, UltraCell for military portables 6 DuPont, SFC portables order for US Army 7 UltraCell deals for US Army AIDE, CERDEC 7 FUELING Shell clusters hydrogen stations in NY area 8 H2 Logic, Hydrogenics for Greenland hydrogen 8 COMMERCIALIZATION SFC extends product range with EFOY 2200 8 FuelCon delivers South African test stations 9 Federal-Mogul gasket elastomer molding 9 Ceres Power fits out manufacturing facility 9 Neah investments from Optimus, Poddar 9 Intelligent Energy wins $30m investment 10 Hydrogenics cancels APC agreement 10 USFCC forms industry standards task force 10 RESEARCH Neah’s hybrid electrolyte aerobic DMFC 10 Showa Denko develops catalysts, separators 11 Imperial focus on fault-tolerant electrodes 11 FEATURE New kid on the block: Heliocentris introduces successor to Nexa module 12–14 REGULARS Editorial News In Brief Research Trends Patents Events Calendar
3 5 15 16–19 20
ISSN 1464-2859/09 © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved This journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: Photocopying Single photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit educational classroom use.
www.fuelcellsbulletin.com
ISSN 1464-2859 September 2009
Daimler launches F-CELL, as Germany plans for H2
M
ercedes-Benz is launching its first series-produced fuel cell car on the road: the B-Class F-CELL. Production of the B-Class F-CELL will commence in late 2009 with a small production run. The first batch of around 200 vehicles will be delivered to customers in Europe and the US at the beginning of next year. Daimler is also joining several leading German companies that have agreed to develop a plan for a nationwide hydrogen infrastructure, called the ‘H2 Mobility’ initiative. The companies have signed a memorandum of understanding with the transport ministry, aiming for a significant expansion of the hydrogen fueling station network by the end of 2011. The B-Class F-CELL has a performance similar to 2.0-liter diesel car, and is just as suited for everyday driving. The electric motor has a peak performance of 100 kW (136 hp) and maximum torque of 290 Nm (214 lb-ft), which is available from standstill. The zero-emission drive system consumes the equivalent of 3.3 liters of diesel per 100 km (71.3 mpg) in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). Its driving range of nearly 400 km (250 miles) and short refueling times of around three minutes ensure zero-emission mobility for long stretches. As in hybrids with combustion engines, the F-CELL car uses a lithium-ion battery, with an output of 35 kW and a capacity of 1.4 kWh, to boost power and recover braking energy. ‘2009 is the year in which we are establishing further milestones where sustainable mobility is concerned,’ says Daimler board member Dr Thomas Weber, responsible for Group R&D for Mercedes-Benz Cars. ‘The B-Class F-CELL is taking on a pioneering role as the world’s first fuel cell powered automobile to be produced under series production conditions.’ [Although Honda might take issue with that [FCB, July 2008] – Editor.]
The vehicle features Daimler’s next generation of compact, high-performance fuel cell system, using gaseous hydrogen stored at 700 bar (10 000 psi). The fuel cell system has excellent cold-start capability, down to –25°C. The drive system is completely new compared with the A-Class F-CELL, presented in 2004, with considerable improvements in output, torque, operating range, reliability, starting characteristics, and comfort. As with the A-Class F-CELL, the fuel cell drive components are tucked away in the sandwich floor architecture, where they are protected and keep the vehicle’s interior and trunk fully usable. Mercedes engineers have tested and optimized the drive-specific components’ safety in more than 30 additional crash tests on the B-Class F-CELL. Meanwhile, the H2 Mobility initiative will evaluate the creation of a hydrogen infrastructure in Germany, to promote serial production of fuel cell vehicles. The partners are Daimler, EnBW, Linde, OMV, Shell, Total, Vattenfall, and the NOW GmbH National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology, although additional participants are welcome. The MoU comprises two phases. Phase One includes the evaluation of options for an areawide rollout of hydrogen fueling stations in Germany, and the definition of a joint business plan, including an analysis of possible public support measures. In Phase One partners will leverage plans to install new hydrogen stations by 2011. This will take place within the framework of the German economic stimulus package, and other national and state programs to jointly address standardization and cost-reduction issues. Subject to the positive and satisfactory outcome of such a business case agreement, the partners will implement the corresponding action plan in Phase Two. The nationwide rollout of hydrogen fueling stations will be continued, supporting the introduction of series-produced, hydrogen-powered vehicles in Germany around 2015. NOW GmbH National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology: www.now-gmbh.de
Contents NEWS Daimler launches F-CELL, Germany plans H2 1 ROAD VEHICLES Brazil launches fuel cell bus, hydrogen station 2 MOBILE APPLICATIONS SFC fuel cell onboard power for Daimler vans 2 Fuel cell takeoff for DLR’s Antares aircraft 3 UltraCell fuel cell systems for Ohio UAV center 3 SMALL STATIONARY Follow-on b+w order for IdaTech systems 4 Fuel cells back up TETRA stations in Denmark 4 Plug Power, WTTIL deal for Indian cell towers 4 Neah, EKO micro energy for Indian villages 5 Hydrogenics modules for France, Greenland 5 Plug Power to operate GenSys in NY homes 6 LARGE STATIONARY Coca-Cola using fuel cells from UTC Power 6 FCE turns onion juice to power in California 6 PORTABLE & MICRO Protonex, UltraCell for military portables 6 DuPont, SFC portables order for US Army 7 UltraCell deals for US Army AIDE, CERDEC 7 FUELING Shell clusters hydrogen stations in NY area 8 H2 Logic, Hydrogenics for Greenland hydrogen 8 COMMERCIALIZATION SFC extends product range with EFOY 2200 8 FuelCon delivers South African test stations 9 Federal-Mogul gasket elastomer molding 9 Ceres Power fits out manufacturing facility 9 Neah investments from Optimus, Poddar 9 Intelligent Energy wins $30m investment 10 Hydrogenics cancels APC agreement 10 USFCC forms industry standards task force 10 RESEARCH Neah’s hybrid electrolyte aerobic DMFC 10 Showa Denko develops catalysts, separators 11 Imperial focus on fault-tolerant electrodes 11 FEATURE New kid on the block: Heliocentris introduces successor to Nexa module 12–14 REGULARS Editorial News In Brief Research Trends Patents Events Calendar
3 5 15 16–19 20
ISSN 1464-2859/09 © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved This journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: Photocopying Single photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit educational classroom use.