Fullscreen HTML5Med Res (??MB)HTML4

Imagine riding in a bus or driving in a car that is quiet and emission free, in a street where there are no electrical wires. At home, you have the security of knowing that you cannot be affected by power strikes or outages and that your energy source is silently working away somewhere in your home, not only supplying all your energy needs but all the pure water you can drink and you are able to use the by-product heat to keep you warm. It’s all possible – today. Fuel Cells: the quiet power source that's soon to boom! e- from air e- Electric Circuit eH2 e- O2 e- eH+ fuel Anode Catalyst H+ + H Polymer Electrolyte Membrane O2 O2 + H O2 H+ Cathode Catalyst HO 2 Exhaust In this polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, hydrogen fuel is fed into the anode and oxygen (or air) enters through the cathode. Encouraged by a catalyst, the hydrogen atom splits into a proton and an electron, which, because of the chemistry, are forced to take different paths to the cathode. The proton passes through the electrolyte – which will vary in different types of cells – while the electrons create a current in an external circuit as they return to the cathode, where they rejoin with the hydrogen and oxygen to form a molecule of water. This current can be used in any way that an electric current from a generator or battery can be used, for example, to power a car. Using a fuel reformer, a fuel cell system can utilise the hydrogen from any hydrocarbon fuel—from natural gas to methanol, and even petrol. Since the fuel cell relies on a controlled chemical reaction and not relatively uncontrolled combustion, emissions from fuel cells are much lower than from even the cleanest fuel combustion processes 8  Silicon ilicon Chip hip www.siliconchip.com.au www.siliconchip.com.au F uel cells are not a new idea – for more than 200 years, researchers have been working on variations of fuel, electrodes and electrolytes to produce electricity. But with over 100,000 fuel cell powered vehicles expected on the roads by 2004, this quiet power source is at last becoming quite an achiever. As early as 1802, at the age of 24, Sir Humphrey Davy (the mine safety-lamp man) created a simple fuel cell with which he was able to give himself a feeble electric shock. But he didn’t bother to document it. Then, in January 1839, Christian Friedrich Schönbein, the German/ Swiss chemist who discovered ozone, published an article about the hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell in the Philosophical Magazine but he didn’t pursue it either. At about the same time, Sir William Grove, a Welshman who was working on the series and parallel connections of his powerful platinum-zinc battery, published an article, interestingly also in the Philosophical Magazine (perhaps I should be writing about the Philosophy of Fuel Cells). Almost as an afterthought, Grove added a note to his article, based on experiments on the electrolysis of water he had carried out, of the possibility of using the hydrogen-oxygen reaction to generate electricity. Early fuel cell noxious Grove’s first cell, known as the Grove Cell, used zinc in dilute sulphuric acid and platinum in concentrated nitric acid, separated by a porous pot. Because it nearly doubled the voltage of the then-popular Daniell primary cell and could sustain strong current output, it became the favourite cell for the American telegraph for two decades in the mid 19th century. However, when it was realised that the Grove Cell discharged poisonous nitric dioxide gas (picture large telegraph offices filled with rows of hissing Grove Cells!) the telegraph companies opted for the much less noxious Daniell cells. By the way, you might be interested to know that Western Union started life as the ‘New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company’, which yields the initials NYMVPTC, www.siliconchip.com.au by Gerry Nolan hardly a helpful mnemonic, later becoming the ubiquitous Western Union Telegraph Company. Grove’s second attempt, which he produced in 1839 and called a ‘gas voltaic battery’, was the prototype for today’s fuel cells. Having carried out experiments to split water into its component parts of hydrogen and oxygen by passing an electric current through it, as intimated in the postscript to his earlier Philosophical Magazine article, Grove tried reversing the reaction—combining hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity and water. This is the basis of the modern fuel Bacon and a co-worker produced a 5kW fuel cell system. Space program first practical application of fuel cells The Bacon design was chosen by NASA, over nuclear power and solar energy, as the power supply for the Apollo and Gemini missions and the space station transport system (STS) shuttle orbiters – incidentally providing water as well as electricity. NASA went on to fund 200 research contracts for fuel cell technology. Both alkaline and polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells have been used successfully in the space program. Serious interest in the fuel cell as an alternative generator of electricity for public use did not begin until the 1960s. Apart from the space program, until recently, major efforts with fuel cells were focused on developing stationary power units. This application was given a sharp boost in November 2001 when, as a result of the Californian energy crisis, the California State Government called for bids on stationary fuel cells. The preamble to the call document makes the case for fuel cells ‘fairly’ clear: “California’s recent energy experience [what a great PC euphemism for ‘energy crisis’!] has confirmed that the state lacks reliable electricity William Grove’s drawing of his generating capacity, and much of the experimental “Gas Battery” – image from existing capacity is over 30 years old. Proceedings of the Royal Society. The California State Government, through the newly formed Califorcell and, because of his success in nia Consumer Power and Financing doing this, Grove is now known as the Authority (the Authority), is pursu‘father of the fuel cell.’ ing expeditious means of increasing Later on, the man who is said to have capacity, and increasing the role of coined the term ‘fuel cell’, William renewable resources and cleaner, more White Jaques, substituted phosphoric efficient generation technologies. The acid (H3PO4) as the electrolyte bath. siting of clean, efficient distributed During the 1920s, further fuel cell power systems is an important element research carried out in Germany laid of this effort. the foundation for the development “State government is taking the lead of carbonate cycle and solid oxide in introducing stationary fuel cells as fuel cells. a preferred technology for distributed In 1932, Francis T. Bacon (yes, ap- power, in part through the efforts of parently he was a direct descendant the California Stationary Fuel Cell of the famous 16th century Francis Collaborative to foster fuel cell use Bacon) developed the first successful in government buildings. Fuel cell fuel cell, which he called the ‘Bacon capacity offered through the Authority Cell’. He used hydrogen, oxygen, an will facilitate these efforts.” alkaline electrolyte (potassium hydroxide—KOH) and nickel electrodes. Fuel cells take to the streets The alkaline electrolyte performed as Claimed to be the earliest use of well as acid but was not as corrosive fuel cells in a public transport system, on the electrodes. Thirty years later, a pilot program, begun in December May 2002  9 transport system based on hydrogen fuel cell technology because it was recognised as having the best potential to combine zero emission with reliability. The trial will enable the general public, fuel cell manufacturer, public transport authorities and hydrogen and filling station producers to gain everyday experience with the most new technology in a variety of climatic and topographical conditions. DaimlerChrysler considers the fuel cell to have the potential to be the drive of the future and is investing around US$1 billion in its development over the next four years. The hydrogen fuel cell White puffs of water vapour—the only emission product of fuel cells— emanating from the tail pipe attest to the truth of the banner (ZERO EMISSION FUEL CELL BUS) on this public bus, one of three in Chicago, Illinois. The hydrogen fuel tank occupies the entire roof area of the bus. 1997 by the Chicago Transit Authority, used buses powered by polymer electrolyte membrane fuel (PEM) cells provided by Ballard Power Systems, running on hydrogen gas. Liquid hydrogen, converted to gas for bus use, was supplied by Air Products & Chemicals. The successful conclusion of the trial was announced in March 2001. Perth to trial fuel cell buses From late this year, the Transperth public transport bus fleet will be augmented by three fuel cell buses for a trial period which will run for at least two years, part of a world-wide trial by DaimlerChrysler. DaimlerChrysler is conducting an extended field trial involving 33 of its fuel cell powered Mercedes-Benz Citaro city buses, known as NEFLEET (new electric fleet). Equipped with the latest fuel cell technology, the buses will be tested in 11 cities for two years, commencing late in 2002. Perth is the only city outside Europe to have been selected because, as Western Australian Minister for Transport, Murray Criddle, said, Western Australia was embarking on a long-term strategy to build a public Fuel cell energy generated from hydrogen is the easiest to produce. It eliminates all carbon dioxide emissions and produces energy at greater efficiencies than petrol, diesel or methanol. A hydrogen-powered fuel cell is the only way to achieve a true zero emission vehicle with an extended driving range. Basically, the hydrogen fuel cell works by bringing about a controlled reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. This reaction is simply electrolysis in reverse and the energy released is converted directly into electricity. The hydrogen is able to pass through the fuel cell’s electrolyte in the form of positively charged ions (protons). It then combines with the oxygen in the air to form water, leaving behind negatively charged electrons. As a DaimlerChrysler’s NEFLEET (New Electric Fleet) Citaro City Bus. These fuel-cell powered buses will be trialled in 11 cities around the world this year, including Perth. The twelve-metre long low-floor solo bus will have a range of some 200 kilometres and can accommodate more than 60 passengers, depending on the individual customer specification. The fuel cell unit with a power output of over 200 kilowatts and the compressed gas cylinders containing hydrogen compressed at 350 bar are located on the roof of the Citaro bus. Maximum speed is up to 80km/h. The electric motor, transmission, drive-shaft and mechanical rear axle are mounted in the rear section of the bus. Three doors without steps and the continuous low-floor area through to the rear ensure a smooth flow of passengers on and off the bus. 10  Silicon Chip www.siliconchip.com.au negative charge accumulates on one side of the electrolyte and a positive charge on the other, an electric voltage is generated for use in driving an electric motor. The whole system acts like a battery but delivers its electric power only when needed. Hydrogen can be used in its pure form, or can be extracted from a hydrogen-rich fuel, such as methanol, ethanol, or natural gas. Fuel cells are also capable of using hydrogen derived from trees and plants (biomass), waste gases generated at landfills and water pollution control plants, and from sunlight, wind and geothermal energy sources. Scientists are even generating hydrogen using enzymes taken from bacteria. Hydrogen can be manufactured from a variety of sources, including natural gas. As part of the fuel cell bus trial in Perth, BP is to establish a hydrogen manufacturing plant in Western Australia at its Kwinana refinery and will also establish Australia’s first hydrogen refueling facility at a suburban bus depot for the Perth’s new buses. BP will use the Perth and European trials to help develop an efficient, effective hydrogen supply network for the future. Other types of fuel cell Basically, a fuel cell is any electric cell in which the chemical energy from the oxidation of a gas fuel is converted directly to electrical energy in a continuous process without combustion or pollution. The only byproducts are water and heat. The efficiency of conversion from chemical to electrical energy in a fuel cell is between 65% and 80%, nearly twice that of the usual indirect method of conversion in which fuels are used to heat steam to turn a turbine connected to an electric generator. The concept of using fuel cells was revitalised with the progress of energy technology for submarines, the Gemini space programs and the Apollo moon landings. Among the advantages of the fuel cell are: its high degree of efficiency, a complete lack of any pollutant emissions, low noise levels, no moving parts and its modular design. This OVERLEAF: www.siliconchip.com.au The Necar4 (New Electric Car) is a hydrogen-powered fuel-cell car that has been developed to demonstrate the viability of fuel cell cars as an alternative drive solution. Based on a MercedesBenz A-class compact car, the Necar4 has a top speed of over 140km/h and can travel nearly 450km without refuelling. latter feature enables the output to be adjusted to the specific requirements of individual applications. There are presently five major fuel cell types: alkaline fuel cell (AFC), molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC), phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC), polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), and solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). Each of these types will be described in more detail in a future article. Fuel cells for your personal transport Back in March 1991, I wrote an article in this magazine about electric vehicles and gave five reasons for choosing an electric vehicle (EV) over an internal combustion engined (ICE) vehicle as “. . . a shopping list for improving the environment”. Of course, fuel cell vehicles are EVs and these reasons apply. The reasons: (1) reduction of noxious emissions, especially in urban environments; (2) more efficient use of available energy; (3) reduction of audible noise in urban areas; (4) reduced consumption of petroleum; (5) greater flexibility of vehicle design and reduced vehicle maintenance costs and times. DaimlerChrysler considers the fuel cell to have the potential to be the energy source for cars of the future and is investing around US$1 billion in its development over the next four years, when it expects to have 100 000 fuel cell powered cars on the road. Practically every major vehicle manufacturer has at least one prototype fuel cell powered vehicle in operation. More comprehensive details about the different options being developed and how the different types of fuel cells operate will be given in future articles. Briefly, fuel cells are more efficient than the internal combustion engine, running at greater than 60% thermal efficiency compared with the less than 25% typically achieved using a mid-sized car engine. PEM fuel cells also run cooler and produce far fewer emissions than internal combustion engines. Cars powered by fuel cell engines will be capable of travelling from 400km to over 600km before refueling and may be able to achieve 3-4 litres per 100km. Virtually every major auto manufacturer in the world is developing fuel cell vehicles. The most optimistic is probably DaimlerChrysler. Fleet testing will begin this year under the California Fuel Cell Partnership. Fuel cell vehicles are not only a cleaner way to travel, but will create an entirely new market, generating revenue and creating employment. At the average price of a car today, 160,000 fuel cell vehicles represents a US$3.2 billion market. It is predicted that, with a 10% market penetration, more than 100,000 jobs would be created in the USA alone. Progress in putting the quiet achiever on the road As I indicated earlier, only brief details of who is doing what about putting fuel cell powered vehicles on the road will be given in this introductory article. Considerable more detail about what is happening world wide and in Australia will follow in further articles. WHO'S DOING WHAT IN FUEL CELL VEHICLE DEVELOPMENT? The answers just might surprise you! May 2002  11 In the United States of America Ballard Power Systems Ballard is the world’s leading supplier of PEM fuel cells for transport and has received orders from vehicle manufacturers around the world. Late last year, Ballard introduced the Mark 902, its most advanced fuel cell platform to date. Ballard, DaimlerChrysler and Ford Motor Company have signed an agreement in which Ballard will acquire the interests of DaimlerChrysler and Ford in XCELLSIS GmbH and Ecostar Electric Drive Systems, LLC. This transaction increases DaimlerChrysler and Ford’s commitment to, and reliance on, Ballard as their exclusive fuel cell engine supplier. Chrysler (DaimlerChrysler) DaimlerChrysler has unveiled a fuel cell powered Town & Country minivan, the “Natrium”, which uses Millennium Cell’s Hydrogen on Demand system. The unique feature of the Natrium is that the hydrogen for the fuel cell is generated from sodium borohydride, which is derived from borax. Chrysler has unveiled its second fuel cell concept vehicle based on the Jeep Commander, running on hydrogen reformed on-board from methanol. This vehicle is actually a fuel cell/battery hybrid concept, with a nickel-metal-hydride battery to provide supplemental energy during acceleration, and for cold starts. It also uses regenerative braking to help recharge the battery. This combination gives the Commander 2 close-to-zero emissions, while achieving double the fuel efficiency of a conventional SUV Energy Partners Energy Partners (EP) is one of four fuel cell ‘engine’ companies participating in the US Department of Energy funded program. EP actually claims the first fuel cell passenger car, a demonstration sports car called the ‘Green Car’ and also developed a demonstration fuel cell, utility vehicle based on John Deere’s ‘Gator’ vehicles. The company has conducted interesting work on low cost fuel cell components. Ford Motor Corporation A group of Ford Motor Company personnel recently set a national endurance record with Ford’s P2000 (SUV) fuel cell vehicle, which uses a methanol reformer. During the 24hour test, they broke the US record for fuel cell endurance, maintained an average on-track speed of 104kph and an average overall speed of nearly 93kph. The vehicle travelled just over 2225 kilometres—further than any other fuel cell vehicle has travelled in a single day. Ford has also unveiled the TH!NK FC5, a family size sedan powered by a Ballard fuel cell electric power-train using methanol fuel. Ford’s P2000 Prodigy is a fuel cell powered sedan, running on stored hydrogen. It is designed to achieve the same performance as Ford’s Taurus, with a fuel cell engine that achieves the equivalent of 67 kW. Ford and Mobil are collaborating on a fuel processor to extract hydrogen from hydrocarbon fuels for use in fuel cell vehicles. General Motors In November last year, General Motors unveiled the fuel cell AUTOnomy, a platform that looks like a giant skateboard 12  S 12  Silicon ilicon C Chip hip in which the entire propulsion and electrical systems are built into a 152.5 mm-thick chassis. The chassis, long and flat, could be built in varying lengths and widths to accept a wide array of body types, from family sedan to SUV or from station wagon to hot little sports car. General Motors and Suzuki Motors Corporation are collaborating to develop small-car applications for fuel cell technology. GM and ChevronTexaco Corp. have formed a pact to speed the introduction of petrol fuel cells in cars, a technology that is claimed to cut emissions of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide in half. In 2000, General Motors unveiled its prototype HydroGen1 fuel cell, its smallest, most powerful fuel cell yet. The HydroGen1 is two-thirds smaller than previous GM models, yet provides 80kW of power, and has a thermal efficiency of 53 to 67 per cent. In addition, the HydroGen1 can start a car in temperatures as low as -40°C. General Motors also unveiled the Precept concept car in both hybrid and fuel cell powered forms. The Precept has a four-wheel drive, dual-axle setup. Electricity from the fuel cell is used to drive the electric motor on the Precept’s front axle. GM showed the Opel Zafira fuel cell minivan, powered by its seventh generation fuel cell system. The Zafira was the pace vehicle for the marathon at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. GM’s Delphi subsidiary is working with ARCO and Exxon to jointly develop on-board fuel processing technology and hardware to convert petrol to hydrogen for use in PEM fuel cell engines. H-Power H Power makes PEM fuel cells for a variety of specialty mobile applications. H Power supplied a PEM fuel cell to the Project New Jersey Venturer, a partnership between state government, private industry, and educational institutions to build and race a fuel cell powered car in the 1999 Tour de Sol Road Rally. Humboldt University/ Schatz Energy Research Center (SERC) SERC is researching and developing fuel cells for specialty vehicles and ‘neighbourhood vehicles’ which are now street-legal in the USA. IdaTech This company develops and commercializes fuel processors and fuel cell systems and tests synthetic diesel and synthetic petrol as on-board sources of reformed hydrogen www.siliconchip.com.au www.siliconchip.com.au to power fuel cells. Plug Power LLC along with Arthur D. Little Inc. and Los Alamos National Lab, has successfully demonstrated a fuel cell operating on hydrogen derived from petrol and is working on integrating the system into a vehicle. Whistler Inc. This company has successfully demonstrated the hydrogen-fueled Carbon-X fuel cell powered golf car, featuring a 48V proton exchange membrane fuel cell developed by Anuvu Incorporated. United Technologies Corp. UTC subsidiary, UTC Fuel Cells and Hyundai have worked together to produce four hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles based on the Santa Fe SUV. These zero-emission vehicles have a 75kW fuel cell system and use a conventional car battery for start-up. Enova Systems will supply the electric drive train and power management systems for the vehicles. UTC is also working with Toshiba to develop a prototype fuel cell system that extracts hydrogen from petrol. UTC, in partnership with the US DOE, has also developed a petrol-powered fuel cell system powerful enough to operate a car. In Europe BMW BMW plans to unveil a hydrogen-powered Mini Cooper, featuring an internal combustion engine similar to its Clean Energy cars. The Mini Cooper features an advanced hydrogen fuel storage tank that utilizes the same space as a conventional fuel storage tank. BMW and Delphi Automotive have unveiled their first development vehicle featuring a solid oxide fuel cell auxiliary power unit (APU). The APU provides sufficient energy for existing mechanically-driven sub-systems, such as the air conditioning and water pumps. The APU could also be used to run devices while the vehicle is idle. BMW AG plans to fit an unspecified number of 7 Series sedans with fuel cells from UTCl Fuel Cells. The vehicle will run on a hydrogen combustion engine; the fuel cell will power the car’s on-board electrical system. BMW is also developing 2000 hydrogen fuelled FC forklift trucks for the company’s own facilities prior to marketing them to other users. De Nora S.p.A. Having spun off its fuel cell R & D unit to form De Nora Fuel Cells, Italy’s De Nora S.p.A works with PEM fuel cells for buses and marine applications. The company is cooperating with Renault and Peugot/Citroen on fuel cell car projects and De Nora supplied the fuel cell engine demonstrated in the Coval truck. Fiat In mid-2001, Fiat presented the prototype of its first fuel cell car, Seicento Elettra H2 Fuel Cell, a two-seater car which was developed with the support of the Italian Ministry of the Environment and runs on hydrogen. Peugot/Citroen PSA Citroen is working with Renault to speed the development of a commercially viable fuel cell car by 2010. PSA Peugeot/Citroen is leading the HYDRO-GEN project, building a second generation PEMFC car powered by a De Nora stack and compressed hydrogen and Peugeot/Citroen is involved in a European joint PEM fuel cell program designed to reduce fuel cell system weight and costs. Renault Renault SA of France and Nissan Motor Co. have decided to develop cars with a fuel cell that runs on petrol and will market the fuel cell vehicles as early as 2005. Renault has also designed, built and tested a fuel cell powered Laguna Estate. The FEVER (‘Fuel cell Electric Vehicle for Efficiency and Range’) is a Renault station wagon powered by a PEM fuel cell engine fueled by stored liquid hydrogen. Volkswagen/Volvo Volkswagen introduced its first fuel cell-powered car at the opening of the California Fuel Cell Partnership headquarters. The zero emission vehicle (ZEV) is called Bora HyMotion, is based on the Jetta and has a fuel cell engine which runs on hydrogen and has a power output of 75 kW. Volkswagen is involved with CAPRI, a project that will deliver a prototype methanol FCV. Ballard will supply the fuel cell and Johnson Matthey a ‘Hot Spot’ reformer. In a joint project, Volvo and Volkswagen have announced plans for a methanol-fueled PEM fuel cell hybrid “Golf” type car. DaimlerChrysler (formerly Daimler-Benz) Daimler-Benz began road testing a fuel cell van, NECAR (New Electric Car), in 1993. Daimler has developed and operated four generations of fuel cell passenger vehicles, utilizing a variety of fuels. In November 2000, DaimlerChrysler presented the NECAR 5, the latest version, in Berlin. The NECAR 5 runs on methanol, unlike its predecessor, the NECAR 4, which ran on hydrogen. Daimler also presented a fuel cell as a compact auxiliary power unit (APU) in an internal combustion Mercedes-Benz S class model. Daimler is part owner of Ballard and partners with Ford in several ventures related to the development and sale of fuel cell vehicles. www.siliconchip.com.au www.siliconchip.com.au DaimlerChrysler’s Necar5, the methanol-powered version of the Necar4 shown overleaf. M May ay2002  13 2002  13 Xcellsis Xcellsis plans to produce 100,000 fuel cell engines a year starting in 2004. Shell Oil has teamed up with Xcellsis to develop the hydrogen infrastructure for fuel cell vehicles. At the same time, the partnership is pursuing technologies to reform petrol. ZeVco In June 2001, London’s Westminster City Council has bought a fuel cell van (pictured right), made by ZeVco, at a cost of 33,000 pounds (over $AU90,000). The vehicle, which will be used in the upkeep of London’s parks, has a top speed of just over 100kph and is 50% cheaper to run than a conventional combustion engine-powered vehicle. ZeVco is the only company pursuing terrestrial development of alkaline fuel cells—that is, as opposed to development for space exploration. Asia Daewoo Motor Daewoo intends to embark on a fuel cell research and development program with a state-run laboratory. Diahatsu Late last year, Diahatsu presented the MOVE FCV-K-II, a four-seater fuel cell mini-vehicle that uses a high-pressure hydrogen storage tank system. The MOVE FCV-K-II uses a 30kW Toyota fuel cell stack installed beneath the floor at the rear of the vehicle. Honda Late in 2000, Honda unveiled a four-seater fuel cell car, the FCX-V3, which has a motor 25% lighter than the two-seater fuel cell car it released the year before. The car also has a considerably faster start-up time – brought down to 10 seconds from 10 minutes! It uses a newly developed ultra-capacitor instead of a battery, resulting in improved acceleration. Honda plans to build 300 fuel cell powered vehicles a year starting in 2003 for sale in Japan and the USA. Hyundai The Hyundai Santa Fe, powered by a 75kW PEM fuel cell, scored best in class in two key performance tests at the Michelin Challenge Bibendum, an annual event where new vehicle technologies are evaluated by independent judges. The Santa Fe scored an “A” in noise and a “B” in energy efficiency. UTC Fuel Cells and Hyundai have worked together to produce four hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles based on the Santa Fe sport utility vehicle. These zero-emission vehicles have 75kW fuel cell systems and use a conventional car battery for start-up. Enova Systems will supply the electric drive train and power management systems. Hyundai will also use fuel cells in its research and development of fuel cell technology as part of a cooperative program with the Korean government. Hyundai has developed a fuel cell concept car powered by methanol with its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. The hybrid car, a result of a two-year project costing 9 billion won ($AU16,000,000), has a 10kW fuel cell. 14  Silicon Chip Mazda Mazda Motor Corp. plans to start test-runs of its ‘Premacy FC-EV’ car powered by a methanol-reformer fuel cell system and an electric motor in Japan and plans to start marketing fuel cell cars around 2005. Mitsubishi Mitsubishi plans to have a running prototype FCV with a production model ready in 2005. Nippon Mitsubishi oil is also working to produce a liquid fuel that can be used in fuel cells instead of petrol. Nissan Nissan Motor Co. and Renault SA of France have decided to develop cars with a fuel cell that runs on petrol and plan market the fuel cell vehicles as early as 2005. Nissan showcased the new fuel cell-powered electric Xterra SUV at the opening of the California Fuel Cell Partnership headquarters. In May 2000, Nissan began test drives in Japan of a direct hydrogen fuel cell vehicle equipped with a methanol reformer. The Xterra utilizes this technology as well as a neodymium magnet synchronous traction motor combined with a lithium-ion battery. Nissan and Suzuki have joined a government-sponsored project to develop direct methanol fuel cells for vehicles. Suzuki Suzuki unveiled a fuel cell-powered Covie two-seater at the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show. The vehicle features a General Motors fuel cell stack, and uses natural gas as the fuel. Toyota Toyota has demonstrated its new fuel cell hybrid vehicle, the FCHV-4, based on the new Highlander SUV. The vehicle, which Toyota says will be launched on a limited basis in 2003, will be demonstrated through their participation in the California Fuel Cell Partnership. Toyota says the vehicle, with a cruising range of more than 250km, has ‘three times the vehicle efficiency of an ordinary gasoline-powered car.’ Toyota also unveiled the FCHV-5, which runs on clean hydrocarbons, in Japan. Toyota has also unveiled methanol and hydrogen fueled versions of its FCEV, based on the RAV4 sport utility vehicle. Both use Toyota’s own PEM engines in hybrid configuration. Toyota plans to launch a commercial FCV in 2003. Exxon and Toyota are working on technology to extract hydrogen from petrol, although Toyota has said methanol is SC the preferred option in the near term. www.siliconchip.com.au www.siliconchip.com.au