Anuvu to Deliver Fuel-Cell/Battery Hybrid NEV for Testing

15 September 2005

Anuvu is producing and delivering a fuel cell-battery hybrid Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) to Reg Technologies for evaluation and testing.

The 2.5-kW fuel-cell unit will serve as a range extender to the NEV battery, effectively tripling its operating time form two hours to six, and thus providing a range increase from 25—50 miles per charge to 100–150 miles.

Anuvu is designing the fuel-cell power system for NEVs or golf carts as a universal range extending power package that would be added to existing vehicle designs. The basic system approach is the same the company used in adding a fuel-cell range-extender to a Zap! community electric vehicle.

The fuel cell uses compressed hydrogen stored in a 1 kg tank that can be refueled in minutes instead of the 8–10 hour charge required by conventional battery NEVs. The fuel cell would run continuously while the vehicle is in operation, keeping the state of charge of the battery pack as high as possible during operation. This constant on-board recharging will provide extra power to the user and greatly extend battery life and reduce battery recharge cycle time.

In addition to increasing range and driving performance of the vehicle, the fuel cell system will also provide support on-board AC outlets into which tools, appliances or electronics can be plugged for up to 24 hours of continuous operation.

In July, Reg Tech and Anuvu announced a financial and sales partnership (earlier post) in which Reg (also owner of rights to the Rand Cam rotary engine—earlier post) has distribution rights for Anuvu fuel cells.