U.S. Support for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars Slashed $100 Million

The 2010 budget submitted to Congress reduces the Department of Energy’s (DOE) hydrogen program by $100 million, representing an almost a 60 percent cut, essentially cutting all government support for developing fuel cell vehicles. Research will continue for stationary fuel cells where hydrogen storage is less of an issue.

While disappointing hydrogen advocates, considering the huge amount of deficit spending of the Obama administration some think it’s is a rational cut. However, the National Hydrogen Association believes it is too early to be picking winning and losing technologies.

According to DOE Secretary Steven Chu, it is unlikely that we will convert to a hydrogen car economy in the next 10 to 20 years, with the biggest challenge being the huge investment required for a nationwide fueling infrastructure. Thus, in this recession period the government perspective is that funds are better spent on more ‘shovel ready’ projects, such as President Obama’s goal of a million plug-in hybrid vehicles by 2015.

So what’s next? Even though fuel cell vehicle development will slow down in the U.S., it will still progress. Significant activity is already underway, including GM's groundbreaking Project Driveway program that's fielding 100 Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles in an ongoing demonstration program. Plus, hydrogen activities will continue worldwide. For example, Daimler AG will start small-series production of its B-Class sedan with a fuel cell drive system by the end of 2009. Based on the Mercedes-Benz BlueZERO F-CELL model shown at the 2009 North American International Auto Show, it will join the Honda Clarity as one of the first ‘production’ fuel cell vehicles (FCVs).

The BlueZero F-CELL is part of a trio of concepts that also includes the BlueZERO E-CELL battery electric vehicle and BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS, the latter equipped with a range extending 1.0-liter, three-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine. Liquid-cooled lithium-ion batteries are used. The BlueZERO F-CELL has a range of over 400 kilometers (368 miles).All three five-seat variants use the same sandwich-floor architecture that includes the powertrain components integrated into the floor. This provides a low center of gravity for agile handling, plus the space-saving design doesn’t compromise passenger space or luggage capacity. Front-wheel drive is used.

Daimler believes that training future engineers and technicians in hydrogen fuel technology is important, so recently some 150 apprentices and students at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen, Germany built an F-CELL Roadster. The F-CELL Roadster features the styling cues of the 1886 Benz Patent Motor Wagon, including large spoked wheels. It’s powered by a 1.2 kilowatt fuel cell located in the rear. Karl Benz’ car had its 2-horsepower (1.5 kW) engine in the rear. The F-CELL Roadster has a top speed of 25 km/h (~16 mph) with an operating range of up to 350 km (~220 miles). Top speed of the Benz Patent Motor Wagon was 16 km/hr (~10 mph).

Neither car was engineered to be driven with a steering wheel. The Benz car was steered by a tiller, while the F-CELL Roadster has a joystick and is steered using drive-by-wire technology. Other high-tech features of the F-CELL include carbon-fiber seat bases beneath hand-stitched leather upholstery and a fiberglass front end liked that used on a Formula 1 race car.

The F-CELL roadster has been demonstrated driving a section of the historic route taken by Bertha Benz over 120 years ago. On August 5, 1888, Bertha took the car with her two teenage sons to visit her mother. Thus, Bertha is considered not only the first woman driver, but the first person to drive an automobile over a long distance.

Bertha traveled from Mannheim to Pforzheim, Germany, a distance of 106 kilometers (about 60 miles), taking a whole day. She made the return trip a few days later. Incidentally, she took the car without Karl’s knowledge and telegraphed him after she reached Pforzheim. Starting in Mannheim, the F-CELL Roadster was driven to Wiesloch, where Bertha had stopped to refuel at a pharmacy. The pharmacy still exists and calls itself the first filling station. Back then there were no gasoline stations, so “ligroin,” as gasoline was called at the time, was supplied by pharmacies like this.