Motive Systems
H2Origin fuel cell hybrid delivery vehicle
Limited range means more recharging, more recharging means less vehicle availability and greater capital expenditure. Yet the drivers for zero and low emission vehilces are huge particularly in built-up urban environments, where emissions limits and low emission zones mean conventional combustion engine vehicles will no longer be able to operate or will be only able to do so at limited times.
Intelligent Energy has worked with PSA Peugeot Citroën to deliver the H2Origin delivery vehicle, which addresses the issues of range limitation and extended recharging times of battery electric vehicles.
By integrating one of Intelligent Energy’s fuel cell systems along with pressurised hydrogen storage into an existing battery powered Peugeot Partner delivery vehicle, to act as a range extender, the two companies have produced a vehicle of greatly extended range, with no reduction in capacity and have pointed the way to the practical and cost effective production of fuel cell battery hybrid vehicles.
The work required the integration of an Intelligent Energy automotive fuel cell power system into the vehicle, using only the space already available under the bonnet and without making any changes to the layout of the existing power train.
Intelligent Energy’s systems engineering teams worked closely with their counterparts at PSA to successfully address the formidable challenges of designing the fuel cell system to fit the available space in the vehicle. The operating temperature requirements for the H2Origin were also a critical aspect of the programme, and the vehicle had to be capable of start up and full power operation over a range of -20ºC to +37ºC.
Intelligent Energy’s fuel cell system increased the vehicle range from 78km to 308km (right)
The result of the partnership between Intelligent Energy and PSA is the H2Origin a practical fuel cell hybrid delivery vehicle with some dramatic performance improvements over the original battery powered version.
The fuel cell is capable of achieving full power within two minutes at temperatures of -20ºC, and all components and subsystems are similarly specified for performance at this low temperature. The fuel cell system can also shut down in under two minutes, whereas conventional units can take as long as three hours.
The effect of the fuel cell range extender was dramatic. The battery only Partner van is capable of a range of approximately 78 km; the H2Origin equipped with an Intelligent Energy 10 kW fuel cell system provides a range of 308 km, an increase of over three and a half times.
Benefits of hybrid fuel cell electric vehicles over battery only vehicles:
- Greatly extended vehicle range
- Rapid refuelling
- Prolonged battery life
- Reduced battery maintenance/replacement costs
One further benefit of a hybrid fuel cell electric approach, often overlooked, is that the lifetime of the vehicles batteries could be greatly increased if deep discharging is avoided (depending on battery type).
This is achieved in the hybrid configuration as continuous recharging of the batteries by the fuel cell will mean the batteries are kept near to top of charge and in a healthier state.
ENV motorbike
Powered by a 1kW Intelligent Energy fuel cell, the bike has a top speed of 50mph and range of 100 miles on a tank of compressed hydrogen.
Since the concept was first presented in Spring 2005 the ENV has captured the imagination of a global audience of over 340 million (growing by the day).
There are currently two prototype ENVs – one black, one white – and they’ve been shown in London, Monaco, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York, attracting as diverse an audience as you could imagine: from the British Chancellor of the Exchequer (now the British Prime Minister) through to design and aesthetics gurus and also His Royal Highness, The Duke of York.
The ENV is a visionary vehicle. It is engineered and purpose-built around Intelligent Energy’s world-beating fuel cell technology to demonstrate the real, everyday applicability of fuel cell technology. The ENV is virtually silent (with noise levels equivalent to an everyday home computer) and its only emissions are pure water vapour.
The ENV has won many awards and Intelligent Energy has been honoured by such bodies as Design Week, Business Week, Popular Science magazine, Time Magazine and the Worshipful Company of Carmen.
Intelligent Energy has received awards for the ENV from:
- Design Week
- Good Design
- Business Week
- Popular Science magazine
- Time Magazine
- The Worshipful Company of Carmen
Suzuki Crosscage fuel cell motorcycle
The transportation sector the fastest growing contributor to atmospheric CO2, and research has shown that in terms of amount generated per kilometer, two-wheeled transportation, which is particularly favoured in developing economies, can produce hydrocarbon pollutants in amounts many times greater than four wheeled passenger vehicles.
Intelligent Energy recognised at an early stage that action was required in this mostly overlooked sector, both in terms of CO2 emissions but also of urban environment air quality, when in 2005 it launched the ENV, the world’s first purpose built hydrogen fuel cell motorbike.
Following in the footsteps of the ENV In October 2007 at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show, The Suzuki Motor Corporation unveiled the Crosscage concept fuel cell motor bike powered by an Intelligent Energy fuel cell power system and rechargeable lithium batteries.
Intelligent Energy and Suzuki are working closely in partnership and the Crosscage was the first result of collaboration between the two companies for the production of a unique Suzuki motorcycle design, utilising Intelligent Energy’s advanced air cooled fuel cell power system.
In March 2008 Intelligent Energy and Suzuki signed a development agreement which further strengthened the partnership and envisages the progression to commercially viable fuel cell motorcycles. Intelligent Energy’s high performance fuel cell power systems coupled with Suzuki’s commitment to low-emissions transport mean the reality of hydrogen powered motorcycles is closer than ever.
Advantages of fuel cell motorbikes:
- Reduced well-to-wheel emissions
- Zero tail-pipe emissions
- Hybrid configuration gives greatly increased range over battery vehicles
- Rapid refuelling
- Low noise
