Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles Research Articles

Two new control strategies: For hydrogen fuel saving and extend the life cycle in the hydrogen fuel cell vehicles

With the acceleration of the development process of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (HFCEV), it has become very important to maximize the energy stored in the vehicle and to use the vehicle with high efficiency. This paper puts forward how to cooperate with a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) as the primary energy source, a lithium-ion battery (LiB) and a supercapacitor (SCAP) as the energy storage technology. Furthermore, this paper examines the effect of two new control strategies developed for HFCEV in different road models on the vehicle fuel economy and life cycle of the system components. Both control strategies applied to the system can be easily applied to the different HFCEVs with minor changes due to the simplicity of their structure and parameters. The simulation results of the study have indicated that the impact of control strategies created in different road conditions on the power of energy sources, the life cycle of system components, system efficiency and fuel economy parameters of HFCEV.

Overview of the next quarter century vision of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles

Last three decades, costumers and manufacturers of automotive sector have been influenced positively by Hydrogen and fuel cells (FCs). The main goal of automakers can be pointed as minimizing the fuel consumption and exhaust emissions while improving the range limits, energy efficiency and latest technology adaptation. Therewithal, electric assisted propulsion systems added to vehicles and are called as electric vehicles (EVs). For that matter, Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) have become the focus of researchers and producers. In this mini foreseen review, overview of the next quarter century vision of FCEVs are expressed and discussed by the helped of previous researches and with future forecast reports. The introduction part is summarized the general approach and future expectations of FCs in detailed. Technical overview is represented for FCs and FCEVs in terms of current state of technology to foreseen expectancy. Infrastructure analysis and future aspects overview part is also discussed for sector's perspective on FCEVs. The near future perspective of the FCEVs, which is seen as the next step in EVs, is discussed in detail in the next quarter century vision. Authors concluded that, between the 2030s-2050s, hydrogen FCEVs will continue their rising demand scale under the circumstances of decreasing expensive technology; enhanced energy optimization; extended range limits and increasing hydrogen refueling stations.

AWARE-US: Quantifying water stress impacts of energy systems in the United States

Energy production typically consumes a large amount of fresh water, which is a critical resource for both human and ecosystem needs. Robust water impact analysis is prudent prior to deploying new energy systems at scale. While there are many water indices representing relative water availability (or scarcity), they are not suitable for analyzing the impact of consumptive water in the context of life-cycle analysis (LCA). The available water remaining (AWARE) concept, developed by the Water Use in LCA Group, enables global water impact analysis (AWARE-Global). However, while AWARE-Global enables consistent comparison internationally, it lacks the high spatial resolution and fidelity needed for decision-making at the local level regarding energy system deployment within the United States (U.S.). In this study, we developed an AWARE system for applications in the contiguous U.S. (AWARE-US) by incorporating measured runoff and human water use data at U.S. county-level resolution. Results of AWARE-US quantify the water stress and the impacts of increase in water consumption in various regions within the U.S. To demonstrate the potential use of AWARE-US, we evaluated the impacts of a potential hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle deployment scenario on the regional water stress in various regions within the U.S.

Direct hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle cost analysis: System and high-volume manufacturing description, validation, and outlook

Direct hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) produce only water as a byproduct, thereby eliminating tailpipe carbon and criteria air pollutant emissions associated with internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs). However, in order to achieve economic parity with ICEVs, technological challenges must be overcome to lower system cost. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) monitors estimated fuel cell (FC) system cost and tracks progress towards milestones by techno-economic analysis based on demonstrated laboratory technologies for a next-generation 80 kWnet automotive FC stack for light-duty vehicles. The findings of the 2017 automotive FC system cost analysis are summarized, including the baseline system characteristics and specifications and the results of Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA®) analysis of system manufacturing across a range of annual production rates. The highest volume predictions, for 100,000 and 500,000 units per year, result in a total system cost of $50/kWnet and $45/kWnet, respectively. The assumptions and methodology of the DFMA® analysis of the 2017 baseline FC system were validated by comparison with the FC system in the commercially available Toyota Mirai. One prospective pathway for decreasing system cost to $30/kWnet needed for cost competitiveness with ICEVs is outlined.

Releasing Hydrogen at High Pressures from Liquid Carriers: Aspects for the H2Delivery to Fueling Stations

Hydrogen fueling stations require multiple stages of compression to achieve the pressure needed to refuel hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles at 700 bar. The physical compression equipment constitutes a large share of the total investment cost of hydrogen fueling stations. Hydrogen carriers, i.e., materials that carry either physisorbed or chemisorbed H2, provide an alternate approach to transport and deliver higher densities of hydrogen to the fueling station at lower pressures. Additionally, some liquid phase hydrogen carriers (LPHCs) are defined by thermodynamic properties that allow H2 release at elevated pressure, thus providing an opportunity to reduce the number of compressors at the fueling station. This study compares a series of LPHCs and evaluates the approach of using aqueous solutions of formic acid (FA) to deliver high volumetric densities of H2 to fueling stations and provide a first step of compression. While hydrogen release from most liquid carriers will provide hydrogen slightly above ...

(Invited) Hydrogen Fuel Cell Systems in Nordic Regions

The Nordic Hydrogen Corridor (NHC) project was launched in 2016 to introduce new Hydrogen Refueling Stations (HRS), hydrogen production units (electrolysers) and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) along the Trans-European Transport (TENT-T) Network in Sweden in the period 2017-2020. This HRS network will enable zero emission transport facilities between the capital of the Nordic countries from Norway through Sweden to Denmark and Finland and further via Germany to the rest of the Europe [1]. In the case of Norway, the country’s strategy is structured around five closely interrelated themes addressing: (i) energy supply security, (ii) a fully-integrated energy market, (iii) energy efficiency, (iv) decarbonising the economy and (v) research, innovation and competitiveness. Climate change is one of the policy priorities of Norway. The country is a heavy producer of renewable energy and electricity generation, with hydropower being the source of most of the production [2]. For example, in 2013 Norway produced circa 134 TWh of electricity from which 96%, 1.5% and 2.5% was generated from hydropower, wind power and thermal power, respectively [2]. There is also a large potential in wind power, offshore wind power and wave power, as well as the production of bio-energy from biomass. Although, Norway has limited resources in solar energy, it is one of the world's largest producers of solar grade silicon and silicon solar cells. Hydrogen Energy has been identified by Norway as an alternative fuel with the potential for a substantial contribution to reduce petroleum dependence and greenhouse gases emissions in the long term. The Norwegian government supports the potential role of hydrogen for Norway in the transition to a zero-emission society [3,4]. In line with the EU, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies (HFCTs) have been identified as a key area of research priority for Norway [3-5]. For example, the White Paper on Norway’s energy policy [4] explicitly describes the national hydrogen priorities, which focus on research and development within production, storage and use of hydrogen. Indeed, among the renewable energy sources, HFCTs are considered as a key technology of the 21st century, not only because of its high efficiency in heat and electricity generation, but also because of its potential role in attaining sustainable energy system. It is also envisaged that HFCT will be integrated into “intelligent” energy networks, with conventional and distributed renewable electricity systems. Also, they enable flexible and adaptable fueling strategies, according to local resources, with fossil, bio-fuels or synthetic fuels to reduce impact on air pollution and climate change. For a few years, Norway has put significant effort in HFCT R&D through national and international projects as well as in implementing a hydrogen infrastructure. This presentation highlights the main HFCT projects in Norway along with the other Nordic countries.

Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle performance and user-response assessment: Results of an extended driver study

This study examined driver acceptance and performance of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles as tested in real-world conditions over a two-year period. The study sample was a volunteer group of “n = 54” drivers who drove the vehicle for a month-long trial period. Each driver took ‘before’ and ‘after’ surveys regarding their driving experience. Drivers drove an average of 1400 miles per month, and either witnessed and/or performed vehicle refueling 3–10 times during their test period.Key findings from the study include that: 1) 80% of study participant drivers found that the fuel cell vehicle (FCV) performance “exceeded” or “greatly exceeded” their expectations; 2) 98% of study participant drivers view hydrogen as a fuel for vehicles as being “as safe” or “safer” than gasoline as a fuel for vehicles; and 3) 94% of participants view the process of fueling a vehicle with hydrogen to be “as safe” or “safer” than gasoline fueling. Other findings include that 85% of study participants who performed their own fueling described hydrogen fueling to be “somewhat” or “very” simple. Of the participants, 62% percent had to forgo at least one trip due to lack of hydrogen fuel, although vehicle range was rated by 75% of participants as entirely or mostly adequate. If fueling infrastructure availability was not an issue, and fuel cost per-mile was at parity with gasoline, 75% of participants would be willing to pay $40,000 or less for an FCV.

Life-cycle implications of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle technology for medium- and heavy-duty trucks

This study provides a comprehensive and up-to-date life-cycle comparison of hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks (FCETs) and their conventional diesel counterparts in terms of energy use and air emissions, based on the ensemble of well-established methods, high-fidelity vehicle dynamic simulations, and real-world vehicle test data. For the centralized steam methane reforming (SMR) pathway, hydrogen FCETs reduce life-cycle or well-to-wheel (WTW) petroleum energy use by more than 98% compared to their diesel counterparts. The reduction in WTW air emissions for gaseous hydrogen (G.H2) FCETs ranges from 20 to 45% for greenhouse gases, 37–65% for VOC, 49–77% for CO, 62–83% for NOx, 19–43% for PM10, and 27–44% for PM2.5, depending on vehicle weight classes and truck types. With the current U.S. average electricity generation mix, FCETs tend to create more WTW SOx emissions than their diesel counterparts, mainly because of the upstream emissions related to electricity use for hydrogen compression/liquefaction. Compared to G.H2, liquid hydrogen (L.H2) FCETs generally provide smaller WTW emissions reductions. For both G.H2 and L.H2 pathways for FCETs, because of electricity consumption for compression and liquefaction, spatio-temporal variations of electricity generation can affect the WTW results. FCETs retain the WTW emission reduction benefits, even when considering aggressive diesel engine efficiency improvement.

Modeling Hydrogen Refueling Infrastructure to Support Passenger Vehicles †

The year 2014 marked hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) first becoming commercially available in California, where significant investments are being made to promote the adoption of alternative transportation fuels. A refueling infrastructure network that guarantees adequate coverage and expands in line with vehicle sales is required for FCEVs to be successfully adopted by private customers. In this paper, we provide an overview of modelling methodologies used to project hydrogen refueling infrastructure requirements to support FCEV adoption, and we describe, in detail, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s scenario evaluation and regionalization analysis (SERA) model. As an example, we use SERA to explore two alternative scenarios of FCEV adoption: one in which FCEV deployment is limited to California and several major cities in the United States; and one in which FCEVs reach widespread adoption, becoming a major option as passenger vehicles across the entire country. Such scenarios can provide guidance and insights for efforts required to deploy the infrastructure supporting transition toward different levels of hydrogen use as a transportation fuel for passenger vehicles in the United States.

ZEFER project to demonstrate benefits of FCEV urban fleets

The Zero Emission Fleet vehicles for European Roll-out (ZEFER) project will deploy a total of 180 hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles in three European capitals, with fleets of 60 vehicles each in London, Paris and Brussels. These vehicles will be used in high-mileage urban fleets such as taxis, private-hire vehicles, and police cars.

UK funding to boost refueling infrastructure and nearly 200 FCEVs

In the UK, a consortium including ITM Power, Shell, Toyota, Honda and Hyundai has won £8.8 million (US$12.6 million) in funding from the Department for Transport (DfT), to improve access to an expanded network of hydrogen refueling stations to support the continued rollout of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles in the UK. Police cars and taxis will be among nearly 200 new hydrogen vehicles to be deployed alongside new and upgraded hydrogen stations.

Parametric study on Tesla valve with reverse flow for hydrogen decompression

Recharge mileage is of great importance for a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle. High pressure hydrogen storage can increase the recharge mileage significantly. Before hydrogen flows into the fuel cell, a decompression process is necessary. To overcome the seal of the piping system and realize the decompression, Tesla valve can be well used, since it is a type of check valve without moving parts, and when there is a reverse flow, large pressure drop appears between the inlet and outlet. In order to obtain a better pressure drop performance for a Tesla valve, in this paper, the structural parameters including the hydraulic diameter, the valve angle, and the inner curve radius are investigated for a large range of inlet velocities. The results indicate that a small hydraulic diameter and small inner curve radius but large valve angle can provide a higher pressure drop under a large inlet velocity, while the pressure drop under different structural parameters barely changes under a small inlet velocity (less than 100 m/s). Besides, there is a low-pressure zone behind the outlet of the bend channel, which should be paid attention. This work can be referred by the further applications of Tesla valves in hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles for hydrogen decompression.

Integrating a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle with vehicle-to-grid technology, photovoltaic power and a residential building

This paper presents the results of a demonstration project, including building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) solar panels, a residential building and a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) for combined mobility and power generation, aiming to achieve a net zero-energy residential building target. The experiment was conducted as part of the Car as Power Plant project at The Green Village in the Netherlands. The main objective was to assess the end-user’s potential of implementing FCEVs in vehicle-to-grid operation (FCEV2G) to act as a local energy source. FCEV2G field test performance with a Hyundai ix35 FCEV are presented. The car was adapted using a power output socket capable of delivering up to 10 kW direct current (DC) to the alternating current (AC) national grid when parked, via an off-board (grid-tie) inverter. A Tank-To-AC-Grid efficiency (analogous to Tank-To-Wheel efficiency when driving) of 44% (measured on a Higher Heating Value basis) was obtained when the car was operating in vehicle-to-grid (V2G) mode at the maximum power output. By collecting and analysing real data on the FCEV power production in V2G mode, and on BIPV production and household consumption, two different operating modes for the FCEV offering balanced services to a residential microgrid were identified, namely fixed power output and load following.Based on the data collected, one-year simulations of a microgrid consisting of 10 all-electric dwellings and 5 cars with the different FCEV2G modes of operation were performed. Simulation results were evaluated on the factors of autonomy, self-consumption of locally produced energy and net-energy consumption by implementing different energy indicators. The results show that utilizing an FCEV working in V2G mode can reduce the annual imported electricity from the grid by approximately 71% over one year, and aiding the buildings in the microgrid to achieve a net zero-energy building target. Furthermore, the simulation results show that utilizing the FCEV2G setup in both modes analysed, could be economically beneficial for the end-user if hydrogen prices at the pump fall below 8.24 €/kg.

Current and Future United States Light-Duty Vehicle Pathways: Cradle-to-Grave Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Economic Assessment.

This article presents a cradle-to-grave (C2G) assessment of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and costs for current (2015) and future (2025-2030) light-duty vehicles. The analysis addressed both fuel cycle and vehicle manufacturing cycle for the following vehicle types: gasoline and diesel internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), flex fuel vehicles, compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Gasoline ICEVs using current technology have C2G emissions of ∼450 gCO2e/mi (grams of carbon dioxide equivalents per mile), while C2G emissions from HEVs, PHEVs, H2 FCEVs, and BEVs range from 300-350 gCO2e/mi. Future vehicle efficiency gains are expected to reduce emissions to ∼350 gCO2/mi for ICEVs and ∼250 gCO2e/mi for HEVs, PHEVs, FCEVs, and BEVs. Utilizing low-carbon fuel pathways yields GHG reductions more than double those achieved by vehicle efficiency gains alone. Levelized costs of driving (LCDs) are in the range $0.25-$1.00/mi depending on time frame and vehicle-fuel technology. In all cases, vehicle cost represents the major (60-90%) contribution to LCDs. Currently, HEV and PHEV petroleum-fueled vehicles provide the most attractive cost in terms of avoided carbon emissions, although they offer lower potential GHG reductions. The ranges of LCD and cost of avoided carbon are narrower for the future technology pathways, reflecting the expected economic competitiveness of these alternative vehicles and fuels.

Toyota hits 3000 Mirai sales in California, will begin sales in Canada

Toyota has surpassed 3000 sales of its Mirai fuel cell passenger car in California, representing more than 80% of all hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles in the US. And Toyota Canada has announced that the Mirai is coming to Canada this year, starting with selected fleets in Quebec.

Relative economic competitiveness of light-duty battery electric and fuel cell electric vehicles

This paper estimates battery electric (BEV) and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) costs from today through 2040 to explore the potential market size of each vehicle type. Two main tasks are performed. First, the total cost of ownership (TCO) – including vehicle purchase, fuel, maintenance, resale, and refueling inconvenience – is estimated for 77 light-duty vehicle (LDV) segments, defined by driving range and size class. Second, data on individual travel behavior is used to estimate the fraction of vehicle owners within each of the 77 segments. In 2020, BEVs are estimated to be the cheaper vehicle option in 79–97 percent of the LDV fleet and have a weighted average cost advantage of $0.41 per mile below FCEVs across all vehicle segments and drivers. However, costs of the two powertrains quickly converge between 2025 and 2030. By 2040, FCEVs are estimated to be less expensive than BEVs per mile in approximately 71–88 percent of the LDV fleet and have notable cost advantages within larger vehicle size classes and for drivers with longer daily driving ranges. This analysis demonstrates a competitive market space for both FCEVs and BEVs to meet the different needs of LDV consumers.

Impact of hydrogen SAE J2601 fueling methods on fueling time of light-duty fuel cell electric vehicles

Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (HFCEVs) are zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) that can provide drivers a similar experience to conventional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), in terms of fueling time and performance (i.e. power and driving range). The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) developed fueling protocol J2601 for light-duty HFCEVs to ensure safe vehicle fills while maximizing fueling performance. This study employs a physical model that simulates and compares the fueling performance of two fueling methods, known as the “lookup table” method and the “MC formula” method, within the SAE J2601 protocol. Both the fueling methods provide fast fueling of HFCEVs within minutes, but the MC formula method takes advantage of active measurement of precooling temperature to dynamically control the fueling process, and thereby provides faster vehicle fills. The MC formula method greatly reduces fueling time compared to the lookup table method at higher ambient temperatures, as well as when the precooling temperature falls on the colder side of the expected temperature window for all station types. Although the SAE J2601 lookup table method is the currently implemented standard for refueling hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, the MC formula method provides significant fueling time advantages in certain conditions; these warrant its implementation in future hydrogen refueling stations for better customer satisfaction with fueling experience of HFCEVs.

Public willingness to pay for hydrogen stations expansion policy in Korea: Results of a contingent valuation survey

The Korean government is planning to increase the number of its hydrogen stations from 20 in 2016 to 100 by 2020, to enhance the use of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles and to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This article looks at the public willingness to pay (WTP) for implementing the expansion policy. To this end, a contingent valuation survey of 1000 Korean households was implemented. To mitigate the response effect in eliciting the WTP and to increase the statistical efficiency of the analysis of the WTP data, we employed a one-and-one-half-bounded dichotomous choice question format. Furthermore, we used a spike model to model the WTP responses with zero observations. The mean yearly WTP for the policy implementation is computed to be KRW 2258 (USD 2.04) per household, which is statistically significant at the 1% level. The national annual value amounts to KRW 42.8 billion (USD 38.6 million). This value can be taken as an indication of the external benefit of the reduction in GHG emissions by means of the expansion.

Hyundai reveals next-gen fuel cell concept at Geneva Motor Show

Hyundai Motor Company unveiled its futuristic FE Fuel Cell Concept at the recent Geneva Motor Show 2017, hinting at the next phase of the South Korean automaker's hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle programme. And Hyundai Motor Europe is partnering with the Icelandic component of the EU-supported Hydrogen Mobility in Europe (H2ME) initiative, making Iceland the 14th European country to offer the company's current FCEV.

The meeting of hydrogen and automotive: A review

In this study, an overview has been presented a classification of the vehicles using hydrogen with different ways. The using of hydrogen in vehicles has been categorized into two main categories as designs in which hydrogen is burned and energy is generated by conversion to electricity. The designs of internal combustion vehicles with using hydrogen via burning, the designs of the fuel cell vehicles that using hydrogen by converting into electricity and their hybrid versions have been introduced. In the automotive industry, the structure and future advantages of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles have been handled in a separate title. Onboard storage, safety, the capital cost and operating cost of the different design of vehicles have been analyzed rigorously.