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2008/7/3

Tecnalia presents prototype for innovative hydrogen car - ecological, silent and economical

Tecnalia has unveiled the prototype of an innovative ecological hydrogen car driven by a fuel cell fed from a hydrogen store and designed by the ENERGY Unit at this Basque Technological Corporation.

The Tecnalia ecological car project – known as H2CAR – arose from the desire within the Technological Corporation to develop storage systems for energy and new sustainable energies as alternatives to petroleum.

With the H2CAR, Tecnalia wishes to demonstrate the viability of the hydrogen-propelled electric vehicle as a real alternative as a means of transport and to develop the technologies necessary for its practical use.

H2CAR is driven by an electric motor which is silent and high-performing. The electricity needed is generated from hydrogen stored in standard 200 bars-pressurised bottles, by means of a 5kW PEM fuel cell.

Moreover, the vehicle is equipped with state-of-the-art backup battery systems which enable the supply of the energy peaks necessary during acceleration and enhances the autonomy of the vehicle. The batteries enable ultra-rapid charging, whereby the user can charge up the car at any 220 V socket in a matter of minutes.

"We have, thus, a 100% electric vehicle but which is mixed (battery-hydrogen) with regard to ‘filling up with energy’, providing great flexibility in its use", stated Mr Luis Pedrosa, Director of the Energy Unit at Tecnalia.

Economic and ecological

As regards cost per kilometre, Mr Pedrosa underlined that "filling the tank, understanding this as the recharging of the vehicle’s batteries, costs between 6 and 8 times less than a petrol-driven engine with the same autonomy".

H2CAR only emits water vapour. The emissions are produced in the power stations generating the electricity used for recharging or for producing hydrogen. "With the current mix of energy production we can say that emissions are reduced 80 % at least”, added Mr Pedrosa.

The vehicle is a prototype and the researchers at Tecnalia are working to improve its performances. Amongst future lines of research are:

• New storage tanks and recharging systems directly from hydrogen.

• Increases in the performance of the batteries.

• Information Interface with the driver.

• Efficient recovery of energy from braking.

• Independent drive.

• Traction control and electronic differential.

The role of hydrogen

Concern for the environment and the rising cost of petroleum has forced us to look to a future where minimising CO₂ emissions into the atmosphere and finding alternatives to petroleum are priorities.

A future energy system will probably involve coexistence between traditional energies such as electricity with new ones such as hydrogen. There are still many challenges to resolve for hydrogen to be a reasonable alternative: an efficient production on an industrial scale, developing distribution networks, storage and safety.

Hydrogen is not a source of energy given that it is not available naturally, but it has to be “manufactured” from water, using energy. Thus, hydrogen has to be seen as an energy storage and transport system.

What is happening with transport?

The vehicle of the future will be driven by electricity, whether the manner of obtaining and storing this electricity changing with the times.

Petrol-electric hybrid vehicles are currently on the market, principally designed to work as internal combustion vehicles equipped with “electrical back-up” which, when correctly managed, enables consumption improvements and provides the car with extra power and traction, when needed from time to time.

The tendency has been towards the use of electrically-powered vehicles and the “plug-in” hybrids have given way to more autonomous ‘electric mode’ cars which enable operability for most of our everyday trips, using the internal combustion engine only for longer journeys.

Following on from this development, we have come to the totally electrical vehicle with a “range extensor”, i.e. an auxiliary system enabling journeys to be undertaken that are longer than would be possible given the storage capacity of our batteries.

Hydrogen vs electrochemical batteries

This is where hydrogen enters the game as an alternative. By means of a fuel cell, hydrogen is transformed into electrical energy to drive the vehicle. Thus, the electrochemical batteries and the hydrogen are in competition to satisfy the storage of energy and provide autonomy to our electric car of the future.

This competition is resolved according to the state of development of each technology.

Electrochemical batteries will have to be able to enhance the energy density per unit weight and volume, prolong their useful life, allow ultra-rapid recharging, reduce costs and be environmentally friendly.

Hydrogen will have to be produced on a large scale with alternative methods to electrolysis, thus improving its use efficiency cycle and at competitive costs. The infrastructure of distribution and storage will have to developed and extended, taking into account, moreover, all aspects of safety involved.

Tecnalia, conscious of the advantages of hydrogen as the energy option to overcome current energy supply problems, is working in these technologies at both at national and international levels. Thus, its Energy Unit is tackling the development of technologies involved throughout all the hydrogen chain: production, storage, safety, and the development of materials and components for fuel cells and electrolysers