Page - 50 - in Our Car as Power Plant

50 THE FUEL CELL CAR A fuel cell car is a car that uses a fuel cell to power its on-board electric motor. Fuel cells in vehicles generate electricity, using hydrogen stored in the fuel tank of the car and oxygen from the air. At present almost all large car manufacturers develop and demonstrate their fuel cell cars. Government programs in many countries stimulate the development of fuel cells, hydrogen production and -distribution and the introduction and demonstration of fuel cell cars (25,26). The fuel-cell car set-up has a fuel cell with a capacity around 100 kW, producing electricity from hydrogen and oxygen to power the electric motor. A hydrogen fuel tank at present contains 4-6 kg hydrogen under high pressure, 350-700 bar. With 1 kg of hydrogen you can drive about 100 km. A battery is added to provide extra electricity. The battery can store electricity that is generated during braking (27,28). OUR CAR AS POWER PLANT PRESENT FUEL CELL CAR CHARACTERISTICS FUEL CELL TYPE PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) FUEL CELL CAPACITY 80-100 kW FUEL CELL ELECTRIC EFFICIENCY 60% ELECTRIC MOTOR 60-100 kW BATTERY 1-2 kWh HYDROGEN TANK 4-6 kg DRIVING DISTANCE 100 km per kg H2 PRESSURE IN TANK 350-700 bar