Kompetenzen | Competencies
Infrastruktur Infrastructure
Komponenten, Module Components, modules
Systeme Systems
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Wasserstoff Hydrogen
Systeme Systems
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Stationär Stationary
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Industrie Industry
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Ausrüstung Equipment
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Mobil Mobile
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Antrieb Drive train
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Stack-Komponenten Stack components
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Demonstrationsprojekte Demonstration projects
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Stack Stack
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Produktionstechnik, Teststände Production and test technology
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Peripherie Balance of plants
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Dienstleistungen Services
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FuE R&D
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Spezielle Anwendungen Sonderfahrzeuge, USV ➤ Special applications Special purpose vehicles, UPS
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Beratung, Normung Consulting, standardization
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Stationär Stationary
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Aus-, Weiterbildung Education, training
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Hausenergie Home energy
DESCRIPTION OF FUEL CELL PRODUCTS
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), one of the world's largest automakers, was founded in 1908, and today manufactures cars and trucks in 34 countries. With its global headquarter in Detroit, GM employs 244,500 people (2008) in every major region of the world. In 2008, GM sold 8.35 million cars and trucks globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Opel, Pontiac, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM's largest national market are the U.S., followed by China, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Canada, Russia and Germany. In Europe, GM sells its vehicles in more than 40 markets. It operates 10 vehicle-production and assembly facilities in seven countries and employs about 54,500 people (2008).
In November 1997, General Motors and Adam Opel AG established the fuel cell development center GM Fuel Cell Activities. More than 500 engineers and scientists are working towards developing fuel cell vehicles. Some 250 employees (2008) at Mainz-Kastel are focusing most of their efforts on system development, on the integration of fuel cells into the vehicle and on vehicle test and validation. The development of hydrogen storage systems is also a part of the work done in Germany. Back in the year 2000, GM and Opel presented the HydroGen1, a hydrogen-powered fuel cell automobile based on the Opel Zafira. Its successor HydroGen3 was the first prototype for fleet demonstrations. One highlight of HydroGen3’s test phase was the “GM Fuel Cell Marathon” ranging over 10,000 kilometers throughout Europe, from Hammerfest to Lisbon. The introduction of GM’s fourth generation hydrogen-powered vehicles in 2007 brought the world closer to a safe, commercially viable car that produces no CO2 emissions. The HydroGen4 is powered by an advanced fuel cell system, which features considerable improvements from the last generation in everyday usability, including performance, durability and the capability to start and operate in sub-zero temperatures. Ten such vehicles in December 2008 have started operating in Berlin as part of the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP), representing the European portion of GM’s Project Driveway test program, the largest-ever real world evaluation of fuel cell vehicles, involving a total of more than 100 HydroGen4 test cars. HydroGen4 has a tank system with three, 700-bar high-pressure vessels, which provide an operating range of up to 320 kilometers. The efficiency of the entire propulsion system is improved, as a buffer battery enables regenerative braking. In the long term, hydrogen produced from renewable energy sources should serve as fuel for fuel cell vehicles in order to totally eliminate greenhouse gas emissions caused by cars. GM and Opel expect that automotive fuel cell technology will be ready for market commercialization by about the year 2015.
HydroGen4: Neueste Generation von Brennstoffzellenfahrzeugen HydroGen4: New fuel cell vehicle generation
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