Electric vehicles: Fuel cells
With lithium-ion battery technology not advancing as rapidly as the industry would like, fuel cells could still prove the better solution
- Published in Focus.
Fuel for thought: Hydrogen, not lithium-ion, might be the better way of storing energy for EVs
Dr Rittmar Von Helmont
GM Europe’s manager of government programmes and research strategy
Achieving fuel-cell operation at –40°C is quite a big increase from before but not from a fundamental point of view: below zero was once the challenge. Now the stack’s thermal capacity is lower so it heats up more quickly and with less energy. Our stack has also halved in size. Going from composites to very thin stamped stainless steel plates really helps make the stack more compact.
It’s also designed in a much more integrated way, and the stack housing also houses some of the other components.
The cost of platinum is important but we’ve significantly reduced the loading, and from our research we assume that fuel cells will not incorporate much more platinum than conventional exhaust aftertreatment systems.
There are three main issues with fuel cells. We know how to reduce cost but now we have to show this. Durability is a given – I think this can be solved. Then there’s the hydrogen infrastructure – we’re changing the business model of some of the world’s biggest companies.
Some are already promoting hydrogen. Others are building up a business model. Others are more reluctant. Around €1-2 billion is needed to develop Germany’s refuelling stations – that’s a significant portion of revenues but they could easily do it.
On the other hand, they’re capital market driven and the investment into a hydrogen infrastructure – at the moment – doesn’t show a very attractive return.
Many still believe that there will be a big improvement in batteries. But the point with the battery-electric vehicle is that it’s difficult to describe the product, because it doesn’t already exist.
An electric vehicle will spend most of its time connected to the grid, has to be kept warm or it consumes power in winter, is limited in range, needs several hours to recharge and the battery ages even when stationary. We have to see how the market accepts these products.
They were hyped in the 1990s. Now they’re being hyped again but maybe the expectations are too great. The first fuel- cell programmes are still demos but commercialisation will be around 2015. It’s a long-term technology, so probably won’t be cost competitive until 2025.
Manufacturing is a question for everybody in the automotive industry. How will OEMs’ expertise develop? It’s probably not in stamping metals or in boring holes. In terms of the value chain, fuel cells offer a lot of possibilities.
