Nissan Leases X-TRAIL Fuel Cell Vehicle for Limo in Japan
20 February 2007
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| Fuel cell for hire. Click to enlarge. |
Nissan Motor has leased the latest version of the X-TRAIL hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle to Kanagawa Toshi Kotsu to be used as part of their chauffeur-driven hired-car fleet.
This is the first time that a fuel-cell vehicle has been made available for hired-car services.
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| Layout of the X-TRAIL. Click to enlarge. |
Each X-TRAIL FCV uses a Nissan-built 90kW fuel-cell stack and compact li-ion batteries capable of delivering the same level of performance as the gasoline-powered X-TRAIL.
The X-TRAIL features 70MPa (10,000 psi) hydrogen storage which extends the cruising range to more than 500 km (311 miles)—1.4 times that of the previous model.
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| Cell configuration. Click to enlarge. |
Nissan uses a laminated li-ion cell design that has fewer components and is more compact and lighter in weight than conventional cylindrical cells. Material improvements made to the lithium manganate positive electrode and the carbon negative electrode contribute to boosting power output by 1.5 times and reduce the volume by more than half compared with a conventional li-ion cylindrical cell, according to Nissan.
The thin cell construction also enables a thin module design for a substantial improvement in battery cooling efficiency.
Under the Nissan Green Program 2010 (earlier post), Nissan will offer advanced technology and products to help make real-world reductions in CO2 emissions, including further practical use of fuel-cell vehicles. Since April 2006, Nissan has enabled consumers to experience the performance and benefits of fuel-cell-powered vehicles by making them available for test-drives at the Nissan Gallery located at its headoffice in Ginza, Tokyo.
No mention of progress on the biggest hurdle for fuel cell vehicles to overcome: the enormous price tag as compared to a battery electric vehicle with the same specifications. I also have to wonder about the total energy efficiency of a system that has to compress hydrogen to well over 10,000 psi. That requires a huge amount of energy and it's completely wasted in these designs, but I guess that's okay since it will probably be another 30 years before they are remotely close to affordable, so I'm sure they can figure it out.
Posted by: Erick | 20 February 2007 at 11:02 PM
I don't know about others, but I haven't seen any press for Nissan involving fuel cell research. Nice to see they are in the H2 game and are working on this too.
That X-trail is nice. Why don't they offer that here?
Posted by: Schmeltz | 21 February 2007 at 06:13 AM
The Xtrail is similar to the Xterra, which is marketed in the US. I drove one (Xtrail) and it is wonderful small SUV, a bit the same as the new model Toyota RAV4.
Posted by: Joe | 21 February 2007 at 07:17 AM
Lease? why not sell? This sounds like GM's EV.
Posted by: EM | 21 February 2007 at 09:53 AM
Erick,
Most electrical consumer products (except for battery) have shown a ten-fold price reduction within 10-15 years. Recent discovery have suggested that a ten-fold reduction in Platinum as catalyst may be possible.
The significant news is that most auto mfg's are researching FCV and are producing FCV prototypes, meaning that the technology has promise.
Posted by: Roger Pham | 21 February 2007 at 10:00 AM
Meaning that the technology is about the only way that manufactuters can see of making sure that we are all locked into H2 and spliting the cash with their buddys in Big Oil !
Posted by: andrichrose | 21 February 2007 at 12:47 PM
Hey brainiac guess what car makers are working on h2 and bio and still on gas because shock of shocks they expect them all to be used. AMAZING BUT TRUE!!!!!!!
None of the future fuels is perfect everywhere so they all expect all the fuels to be widely used with each being used more or less depending on local conditions.
The are expending somuch money on h2 mainly because they foresee the big ticket cars being h2 fueled as in tier main money makers.
Posted by: wintermane | 21 February 2007 at 05:48 PM
It never fails...as soon as a Hydrogen FCV article appears, then so do the conspiracy theories and the H2 badmouthing.
Posted by: Schmeltz | 22 February 2007 at 05:29 AM
What I love is when people say h2 it immensely expensive and ev is dirt cheap when h2 even directly from electrolized ater at home is only a bit less then 2c the cost of ev.
And of course at the station they get powewr much cheaper then you do...
And of course a h2 car is a short hop ev car...
And as the japanese have found out some places you can convert natural gas to h2 and then to elextricity cheaper then you can buy electricity....
Now generaly a evcar wich is all an h2 car realy is can go if normal size about 4 miles per mwh and thus about 15 kw to go 60 mph. Now 5kw fuel cells are fairly cheap already in 8 years...
I personaly expect the normal car of 2050 will be a combo fuel cell plug in 40 mile range on ev car with a small biofueled genset and 5 gallon tank.
Why? Becaise a 15or so kw genset and a small tank should be cheap and fit just fine next to a small fuel cell and a few h2 tanks all right next to a small bat pack providing 15 kwh or total power but only drained to the 40 mile limit 66 percent drained.
That way when your going around town its just ev when you go to grandmas its h2 and ev and when you go to vegas its ev h2 and bio. A car that got 40 ev 250 h2 and 250 vio for a tota of 540 mile range.
Posted by: wintermane | 22 February 2007 at 08:24 AM
Has anyone thought of using the earth to compress hydrogen? More precisely, what stops a company from running two cables down into the ocean 10,000 feet and supplying the cable with wind powered electricity, thereby producing hydrogen from the ocean at a pressure of 4454 psi. The hydrogen would be collected at depth and piped, at a collection pressure of 4454 psi, up to a surface collection station and further into existing high pressure gas distribution infrastructures.
Posted by: JB | 14 March 2007 at 12:29 PM
DME developments in China!!!
Since DME has an advantage of decomposition at lower temperature than methane and LPG, R&D for hydrogen source for fuel cell has been carried out.
If you would like to know more on the latest DME developments, join us at upcoming North Asia DME / Methanol conference in Beijing, 27-28 June 2007, St Regis Hotel. The conference covers key areas which include:
DME productivity can be much higher especially if
country energy policies makes an effort comparable to
that invested in increasing supply.
By:
National Development Reform Commission NDRC
Ministry of Energy for Mongolia
Production of DME/ Methanol through biomass
gasification could potentially be commercialized
By:
Shandong University completed Pilot plant in Jinan and
will be sharing their experience.
Advances in conversion technologies are readily
available and offer exciting potential of DME as a
chemical feedstock
By: Kogas, Lurgi and Haldor Topsoe
Available project finance supports the investments
that DME/ Methanol can play a large energy supply role
By: International Finance Corporation
For more information: www.iceorganiser.com
Posted by: Cheryl Ho | 23 May 2007 at 08:40 PM
I saw a X-Trail FCV in Sacramento, Ca today. Nice looking vehicle, I would love to get my hands on one to help beat the pain of $4.509 per gallon.
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