DaimlerChrysler Still Leads on Fuel Cells --
But Fueled by Hydrogen or Reformed Methanol?
DaimlerChrysler DaimlerChrysler's new fuel-celled powered prototype car, the Necar 4 (New Electric Car), is an exciting advancement for the alternative fuel vehicle industry, an industry long beset with performance limitations, whether in chemical batteries or fuel compression. This new vehicle is touted as the "first driveable zero-emission fuel cell car in the United States," with 40% improvement in fuel cell power, a 90 mph top speed and a 280-mile range.
The Big News
The Necar 4 is big news because it gets a lot of fuel cell power into a very small package, giving it the performance and range most people expect from cars, conventional or otherwise. DaimlerChrysler continues to leave its competition staggering. At its press conference in Washington, DaimlerChrysler could have been saying, 'We're the leader, we've got the technology, and if we have our way, we'll set the standard.'
That's why it's interesting that this new Necar is powered by liquid hydrogen, while its immediate predecessor, the Necar 3, was powered by hydrogen reformed from methanol. More confusing, DaimlerChrysler has hinted that its next release, the Necar 5, will revert to using a methanol reformer in its fuel system.
What does this say about the relevance of Necar 4's direct hydrogen configuration, and perhaps more importantly, how does this help establish a standard fuel for fuel cell vehicles of the future?
DaimlerChrysler One is reminded of the debate now raging in the electric vehicle industry between inductive or conductive charging standards. And just like that debate, the decision to use direct liquid hydrogen or reformed methanol depends on who you talk to. Finding a fuel that is good for the fuel cell industry, the auto industry and the energy industry poses a considerable challenge to be sure.
To its credit, DaimlerChrysler has said that it will focus on using hydrogen fuel for fleets, and hydrogen from methanol for vehicles sold to the public. These varied development tracks are clearly what has placed DaimlerChrysler, along with partners Ballard Power Systems and Ford Motor Co. in first place in the fuel cell technology race. The debate remains, however, whether to store hydrogen onboard or reform it from a host of flexible fuels -- methanol, gasoline or natural gas, among others. The source of the fuel does matter.
Jumping on the Bandwagon
Quick on the heels of the Necar 4 announcement, the American Methanol Institute pointed not to DaimlerChrysler's current prototype, but to the automaker's future prototype, known as Necar 5, which will use hydrogen reformed from methanol. It is due sometime between now and the official Necar production date. The "race will be won using methanol," the release boasted. "DaimlerChrysler is not alone in their support for methanol. A clear consensus has now been reached that methanol is the automotive industry's preferred energy source for fuel cell vehicles."
That's basically what Frank Pereira, formerly of General Motors, said in regard to GM's inductive charging technology when asked what type of system was the preferred choice. Just as GM tried to set he standard for inductive EV charging, so is DaimlerChrysler attempting to set the fueling standard for fuel cell vehicles. Simply put, leaders set the standards.
Not to be outdone, ethanol interests have said that their fuel should be the prime choice, especially since it is the only commercially viable renewable liquid fuel. Without getting into that debate, it's clear DaimlerChrysler is setting the industry trend in fuel cells and most of the alternative fuel options are positioning themselves as compatible with the new technology.
There are significant emissions questions raised depending on the fuel used as the source for hydrogen. Methanol has to be made from natural gas and still needs to be reformed. Any steps add some inefficiencies and some emissions. Instead of adding the step of reforming methanol, some analysts wonder if it wouldn't be better to reform hydrogen from natural gas directly.
There are companies who say that onboard hydrogen storage is the way to go, principally because it creates a true "zero-emission vehicle," involving no on-board fuel reformation. But any onboard reformation is going to create some emissions, no matter the fuel.
On the other hand, what may be driving automakers' preference for methanol is its close tie to the customer's current fueling experience. In other words, methanol is a liquid fuel and can be dispensed at conventional-style fueling stations, where drivers pay, pump and peel away. That's the main disadvantage of hydrogen: it is not a liquid fuel at normal temperatures.
Blazing a Trail
To be sure, the Necar prototypes have blazed a trail in the 1990s for fuel cell advancements. In '94, then Daimler-Benz managed to squeeze the storage and drive system into a small commuter car. In '96 it made major reductions in the size of its components and added on-board storage of hydrogen. And in '97 it built upon its A-Class platform and installed an on-board methanol reformer.
If DaimlerChrysler has solved the technological hurdles of getting a fully functional, zero-emission fuel cell vehicle on the road, why then does it not stick with it instead of switching again to methanol reformed vehicles? DaimlerChrysler, the industry's premier fuel cell developer, seems to be playing both hands when it comes to the system that will run fuel cell vehicles of tomorrow.
Dave Sotero, Analyst
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