Argonne Tests Find Near-Zero Emissions for BMW Hydrogen 7
28 March 2008
Independent tests conducted by engineers at the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory on a BMW Hydrogen 7 Mono-Fuel demonstration vehicle have found that the car’s hydrogen-powered engine surpasses the super-ultra low-emission vehicle (SULEV) level, the most stringent emissions performance standard to date.
The BMW Hydrogen 7’s emissions were only a fraction of SULEV level, making it one of the lowest emitting combustion engine vehicles that have been manufactured. Moreover, the car’s engine actively cleans the air. Argonne’s testing shows that the Hydrogen 7’s 12-cylinder engine actually shows emissions levels that, for certain components, are cleaner than the ambient air that comes into the car’s engine.
—Thomas Wallner, Argonne Lab
Technical and program information about the Hydrogen 7 tests will be presented by Wallner and BMW North America’s Jason P. Perron 2 April during the National Hydrogen Association Annual Hydrogen Conference, 30 March - 3 April, in Sacramento, Calif. Argonne will also join BMW’s Christoph Huss, senior vice president, science, traffic and vehicles regulations, in a press conference to present the test results during the Society of Automotive Engineers 2008 World Congress, 14-17 April, in Detroit.
What is the overall efficiency of an ICE vehicle using hydrogen difrectly instead of liquid fuel?
Could it be under 10%.
What would be the cost per mile/Km (for energy) at the current price for hydrogen?
Is it the price to pay for cleaner ICE vehicles?
Posted by: Harvey D | 28 March 2008 at 07:28 AM
Are you kidding me? That V12 burning H2 is quite possibly the most inefficient method of pushing a vehicle that has ever been devised.
Let's see the well to wheels on this one and then tell me it's cleaning the air. (Oh, don't worry, the H2 was all produced from renewable sources).... please
Posted by: Kevin | 28 March 2008 at 09:03 AM
The BMW liquid-hydrogen car is interesting as a technological tour-de-force, but is a dead end as a solution for any real-world problem. Who would buy a car whose fuel disappears if you leave it parked for a week? And then there is the whole hydrogen infrastructure question, life cycle efficiency, etc. etc. It's unfortunate BMW didn't put all that brain power behind something with more of a future.
Posted by: Nick | 28 March 2008 at 09:04 AM
H3 cars like this are mainly fedigned as a direct replacement for wealthy car fabs who will want a v8 v12 or v16 and that vroom VROOOOM car feel.
As they have the money they will get exactly that. After all when yourayin 2-3 even 5000 a month just for the car... fuel cost isnt an issue.
Posted by: wintermane | 28 March 2008 at 11:49 AM
So maybe there's a boutique market for this. But it's irrelevant in respect to the problems of GHG emissions created by the truck/automobile mass market.
Posted by: Nick | 28 March 2008 at 06:32 PM
The research behind the BMW hydrogen car project is valuable in the long term as it provides much of the knowledge on managing hydrogen combustion that is needed to develop a suitable hydrogen internal combustion engine. They are, however, hindered by the directions of the board - "Make Our Engine Run On Hydrogen". On top of that they start with a totally unsuitable vehicle platform - because they have it.
With this level of understanding an ideal hydrogen engine is a very viable power unit for transportation. This is as long as a fresh design uncontaminated by - 'how we do it now' is developed. www.pivotalengine.com
Posted by: Paul McLachlan | 30 March 2008 at 01:46 PM
I want to know where the owners will get the hydrogen. I suppose that they could have an NG reformer or electrolysis device in their garages. That would not provide much range, but maybe the wealth owners just want an around town status symbol.
Posted by: sjc | 31 March 2008 at 12:31 PM