Comparative analysis of selected fuel cell vehicles

Technical Report · Fri May 07 04:00:00 EDT 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/171249· OSTI ID:171249

Vehicles powered by fuel cells operate more efficiently, more quietly, and more cleanly than internal combustion engines (ICEs). Furthermore, methanol-fueled fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) can utilize major elements of the existing fueling infrastructure of present-day liquid-fueled ICE vehicles (ICEVs). DOE has maintained an active program to stimulate the development and demonstration o fuel cell technologies in conjunction with rechargeable batteries in road vehicles. The purpose of this study is to identify and assess the availability of data on FCVs, and to develop a vehicle subsystem structure that can be used to compare both FCVs and ICEV, from a number of perspectives--environmental impacts, energy utilization, materials usage, and life cycle costs. This report focuses on methanol-fueled FCVs fueled by gasoline, methanol, and diesel fuel that are likely to be demonstratable by the year 2000. The comparative analysis presented covers four vehicles--two passenger vehicles and two urban transit buses. The passenger vehicles include an ICEV using either gasoline or methanol and an FCV using methanol. The FCV uses a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell, an on-board methanol reformer, mid-term batteries, and an AC motor. The transit bus ICEV was evaluated for both diesel and methanol fuels. The transit bus FCV runs on methanol and uses a Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell (PAFC) fuel cell, near-term batteries, a DC motor, and an on-board methanol reformer. 75 refs.

• Research Organization: USDOE Grand Junction Projects Office, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-91CH10484
• OSTI ID: 171249
• Report Number(s): DOE/CH/10484--T1; ON: DE96004077
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
ACID ELECTROLYTE FUEL CELLS
ALCOHOL FUEL CELLS
AUTOMOBILES
BUSES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPILED DATA
DIESEL FUELS
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
GASOHOL
HYBRID ELECTRIC-POWERED VEHICLES
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
LIFE-CYCLE COST
METHANOL FUELS
SOLID ELECTROLYTE FUEL CELLS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
UNLEADED GASOLINE