IS THE FUTURE UPON US?

This article discusses some recent advances in the development of fuel cells for electric vehicles. A fuel cell produces electricity, but, unlike a battery, it cannot also store electricity. It requires a continual supply of fuel and oxidant to supply electrical power continually. There are many different types of fuel cell, which can be classified by the electrolytes that they use. The solid polymer fuel cell (SPFC) and the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) are considered the most promising types for automotive applications, because of their relatively low operating temperatures. Their first applications have been to urban transport, including buses. SPFC technology is advancing rapidly, though not yet commercially viable; its main challenges are cost and carbon monoxide tolerance. All the world's main vehicle assemblers are involved in fuel cell research and development, usually in partnership with other organisations. The world leader in developing SPFC fuel cell stacks is Ballard Power Systems of Canada, which has produced systems for buses and cars. The National Fuel Cell Alliance, funded by the US Government, aims to produce demonstration vehicles by 2000. Japan and the UK are also developing fuel cells and stacks. Fuel cells could provide the basis for feasible electric vehicle technology. The author has written a sequel to this article in Automobile Engineer, October 1997 (IRRD 893949).

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03076490
• Corporate Authors:

  Institution of Mechanical Engineers

  1 Birdcage Walk
  London SW1H 9JJ,   England 
• Authors:
  • COLE, A C
• Publication Date: 1997-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 66-7,69-70,72
• Serial:
  • AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEER
  • Volume: 22
  • Issue Number: 7
  • Publisher: Institution of Mechanical Engineers
  • ISSN: 0307-6490

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Buses; Carbon monoxide; Classification; Costs; Development; Electric batteries; Electric vehicles; Electricity; Electrolysis; Technology; Temperature
• ITRD Terms: 1315: Battery; 1272: Bus; 7391: Carbon monoxide; 8513: Classification; 224: Cost; 9013: Development; 1282: Electric vehicle; 6954: Electricity; 7135: Electrolysis; 3855: Technology; 6722: Temperature
• Subject Areas: Energy; Finance; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00744421
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Jan 28 1998 12:00AM