Here's another press release on the Frankurt Auto Show.
Toyota, Daimler-Benz Introduce Methanol PEM Fuel Cars at Frankfurt Auto Show
FRANKFURT, GERMANY - Show Down at the Frankfurt Fuel Cell Corral - but nobody was blinking: In a high-tech doubleheader display that took every- body by surprise, both Toyota and Daimler-Benz decid- ed to unveil their latest entries in the accelerating fuel cell car competition at the 57th International Motor Show Sept. 11-21 here.
The Japanese and German carmakers showed ad- vanced PEM fuel cell cars that, unlike their initial hydro- gen-powered prototypes unveiled last year (H&FCL June, Nov. 96), were powered by consumer-friendly, easy-to-handle liquid methanol.
But while Toyota was displaying what was essentially the same car as last year, the RAV4 sport utility vehicle propelled by a 25 kW fuel cell designed by Toyota, Daimler-Benz weighed in with the NECAR III, the long- awaited fuel cell version of its brand-new subcompact, the so-called A-class model. The tiny - 12 ft overall length, 1,500 kg gross weight - car is powered by a 50 kW fuel cell system developed by Daimler-Benz' new corporate ally, Ballard Power Systems.
The Race is Heating Up
To fuel cell scene watchers, the unexpected showing of both cars at Frankfurt was further proof that the race to develop a commercially viable fuel cell car is indeed heating up rapidly. Initially, Daimler-Benz had planned the first display of the NECAR III at the Tokyo Motor Show in October - denying earlier speculation in these pages, incidentally, that Daimler-Benz would be in fact be showing up first at the Frankfurt show (H&FCL June 97, Aug. 97).
Next, Toyota announced at the end of August that it would show its new fuel cell sport utility on the competit- ion's German turf in Frankfurt. Not to be outshone at home, Daimler-Benz management apparently then decided to go bumper-to-bumper and move the NECAR III launch date one month up to Frankfurt as well.
"I'm pretty sure they brought it forward because they learned of the plans of Toyota to present their car" in Frankfurt, believes Marcus Nurdin, managing director of the Frankfurt-based World Fuel Cell Council. "This represents exciting evidence of acceleration in a now competitive race to manufacture series-produced fuel cell cars."
Nurdin who attended both press conferences - Toyota first on Tuesday, Sept. 9, followed by Daimler-Benz the next day - saw significance in the fact that Daimler-Benz chairman Juergen Schrempp himself introduced the car at the press conference, alongside new glamorous commercial models such as Mercedes' new sports car, the SKL, and the new M-Class sports utility vehicle.
According to Nurdin, Schrempp echoed earlier state- ments by company officials that Daimler-Benz intends to be the first to produce a series fuel cell car, but gave no date. Other company officials at the conference suggest- ed 2004 or 2005. A release by an American non-profit group, Fuel Cells 2000, quoted Schrempp as saying, "the starting gun for the race to develop the first market- able, mass-produced vehicle powered by a fuel cell has already been fired."
D-B Steam Reformer Needs Further Downsiz- ing
The new sleekly minuscule NECAR III, coming 15 months after the unveiling of the bigger, hydrogen-fueled NECAR II minivan prototype in Berlin (H&FCL June 1996) and the new NEBUS fuel cell bus (H&FCL June 97), sports a 40 liter (11 gallons) methanol tank, giving it a range of about 400 kilometers (250 miles) - practical- ly the same as conventional gasoline-powered cars. According to the company release, the throttle response is very quick, with 90% power within two seconds (it was unclear whether this referred to cold start or during driving after warmup).
Work still needs to be done to miniaturize the proces- sor system: so far, the tank and the 47 cm (18 in.) high steam reforming processor take up the space of the two backseats, which had to be removed in the Frankfurt car. Company officials said they were confident, though, that the unit's size can be further reduced to fit into the car without sacrificing passenger and luggage space.
Hydrogen is produced by steamreforming methanol at 280 deg. centigrade in a Daimler-developed system, producing also small amounts of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, the latter reportedly at levels of 10-20 ppm.
According to the release - uncharacteristically, some- what sketchy on technical details (perhaps reflecting the haste entailed by the change in time and place) - the fuel cells themselves and various auxiliary components are housed in the space provided by the double-floor sandwich construction, underneath the passenger compartment. Performance and dynamic response are said to have been improved as well.
Toyota Claims Greater Range
With about 500 km (312 miles), Toyota's fuel cell- powered version of the RAV4 sports utility vehicle, the FCEV, is claimed to have a greater range than its competitor. At 25 kW, the Toyota-developed 108 x 50 x 24cm fuel cell, underneath the passenger compartment in the car's center, has only about half the rated output of Daimler-Benz' Ballard unit. Toyota says that is suffi- cient for most normal driving needs, but additional power is available for the 50 kW permanent-magnet synchronous electric motor from a nickel-metal hydride battery which is recharged both by the fuel cell and by a regenerative braking system. Top speed is claimed to be 125 km/hour (78 mph).
The reformer, located ahead of the rear axle under- neath the rear seats, is also of the steam-reforming type, with water supplied from the fuel cell's steam "exhaust." The cylindrical unit is 30 cm in diameter and 60 cm long.
Who Can Make it Cheaper?
The World Fuel Cell Council's Nurdin says the differ- ence in the company's technical approaches - a more powerful fuel cell for Daimler-Benz, but add-on regenera- tive braking plus a metal hydride battery energy buffer for Toyota, making it in effect a hybrid - "poses several issues."
For one, "who will be able to produce the system cheaper," he asks. "Capital costs is an issue with both motorcars. All other things being equal, (Toyota) may be able to get some additional fuel economy from regener- ative braking, but on the other hand, the system might prove to be more expensive in production."
Overall, says Nurdin, "it is pretty exciting that both have produced methanol-driven fuel cell cars." |
