Researchers developing light EV with direct methanol fuel cell range extender
26 May 2014
Researchers from Forschungszentrum Jülich and the FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences (Jülich Campus) are building and testing a light transport electric vehicle using a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) as a range extender. The team presented the SILENT-F vehicle for the first time on the Forschungszentrum campus earlier this month.
By the end of the project, which began in 2013, a demonstration vehicle equipped with a DMFC hybrid system will be ready for application-oriented tests.
The SILENT-F project is based on a commercially available vehicle for in-house transport or municipal use.
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| SILENT-F. Project leader Nicola Kimiaie and Herbert Feilbach (front). The fuel cell is already mounted on the vehicle. A plastic cover serves temporarily as protection from the rain. Source: Forschungszentrum Jülich. Click to enlarge. |
If it can be mass produced at a low cost, it could become another alternative way to replace current ICEVs.
Producing and distributing methanol may be easier and cheaper than H2?
Posted by: HarveyD | 26 May 2014 at 09:45 AM
I,m convinced that a more viable and cheaper method as a REx would be a combination of "power to gas" (carbon neutral) and DRL's FKLG (Free Piston Linear Generator).
http://www.dlr.de/dlr/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10084/161_read-8869/year-all/
Posted by: yoatmon | 26 May 2014 at 10:22 AM