Symbio FCell to deliver 1,000 Kangoo ZE-H2 vehicles in 2016
24 June 2015
European fuel cell system provider Symbio FCell says it will deliver more than 1,000 Kangoo ZE-H2 vehicles in 2016. The Kangoo ZE-H2 is a Renault Kangoo ZE Light commercial vehicle (LCV) powered by a hydrogen Fuel Cell Range-Extender. (Earlier post.) The company says it has supplied more than 50 units to date, with 200 expected for the full year.
To meet this significant increase in demand in the market, Symbio FCell relies on the expertise and support of its co-shareholder Michelin to mass-produce its hydrogen fuel cell systems.
The HyWay project reached another important milestone with 21 new Kangoo ZE-H2 utility vehicles, now fully operational in Grenoble. This comes in addition to the vehicles already successfully deployed in Lyon. HyWay is the largest fleet of electric/hydrogen utility vehicles currently operated on a daily basis in Europe.
With the financial backing of ADEME (French national energy management), the Rhône-Alpes regional government and the European Funds FEDER, this project establishes a unique and innovative model of simultaneous deployment of hydrogen stations serving multi-customers captive fleets. This deployment model is recommended in the French Hydrogen Mobility study.
This project can be easily replicated across Europe, the company says, and is increasingly well followed with nearly 30 cities in France having already applied. The first deployments have received financial contributions from Regions, ADEME, Europe FCH-JU2, and CEF/Ten-T.
Following the first deployments initiated in 2015, some major operators are planning to extend their deployments to a few hundred vehicles in each of their fleets. The new developments will be based on the simultaneous implementation of commercial vehicle fleets, according to the H2 Mobility France cluster model. In 2016, those vehicles will be equipped with the latest Fuel Cell Stack developed by Michelin, in a more powerful system with extended functionality. To support the deployment at European level, a 700 bar Range Extender version will be available early 2016.
It is interesting to see majors like Michelin and Nissan/Renault involved in FC's development and mass production.
Compact FCs could become the ideal clean range extender for future PHEVs/FCEVs. H2 production and distribution is well known and is not a real problem in most industrial countries.
Future H2 mass production could make use of surplus-excess clean REs such as solar and wind energy.
Posted by: HarveyD | 24 June 2015 at 06:44 AM
That is starting to reach respectable volume.
If it is coupled with other news in the fuel cell and hydrogen arena such as the use of nickel iron catalysts for economic high efficiency electrolysis at low voltage and the low take up of EVs in cities in China as there is simply nowhere to plug them in it is becoming increasingly clear that the future is bright for FCEVs.
Posted by: Davemart | 24 June 2015 at 01:29 PM
I just found this:
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1098821_seven-barriers-to-alt-fuel-vehicles-can-hydrogen-fuel-cells-overcome-them
The link showing that hydrogen from renewables using electrolysis is close to cost competitive with hydrogen from reforming NG is the bit that caught my eye, and explains for instance German plans.
The reason that it is more competitive than in the States is that NG is more expensive.
It should be noted also that this is only about hydrogen from electrolysis, and hydrogen from biomass and sewage is likely to do better.
The costs they are using seem to be based solely on the energy consumed.
Cheaper catalysts such as nickel iron should also reduce costs.
Posted by: Davemart | 24 June 2015 at 02:43 PM
@DM...I wouldn't be surprised to see FCEVs co-exist with extended short and range BEVs in large cities where people do not have easy access to a power outlet for overnight recharges.
The same may be true for people living in cold areas with long snowy cold winter days.
Both of the above apply to us.
My next vehicle may very well be an FCEV like the current Toyota or equivalent.
Posted by: HarveyD | 26 June 2015 at 10:40 AM
Its getting to the point that almost all delivery vehicles could be realistically switched to some combination of batteries and fuel cells.
Since they are high mileage relative to private vehicles and much of their mileage is in cities, the implications for pollution, together with similar advances in buses, are immense.
Posted by: Davemart | 28 June 2015 at 02:56 AM