eMobility is whether to have a large battery with a small fuel cell or a smaller battery and a larger fuel cell,” he says. “In the first instance the fuel cell power unit is used simply as a range extender, while in the second case the fuel cell provides full motive power.” Overcoming the obstacles
little consensus among vehicle manufacturers on whether battery EVs are the best answer. With no clear agreement on which technology or combination of technologies is likely to prevail, development in the ‘alternative fuel’ arena continues apace - and companies at the cutting-edge of researched solutions are the ones best-placed to benefit. Intelligent Energy, an independent UKheadquartered energy technology group with more than 25 years of experience in fuel cell system R&D, is already working with a number of vehicle manufacturers on undisclosed programmes and believes it can accelerate the take-up of fuel cell technology still further by overcoming the limitations of existing EVs – and not only in the passenger car sector.
overcomes the range anxiety and slow recharging rates associated with battery EVs while still delivering the benefits of a zero emission vehicle.” Despite his enthusiasm for fuel cells, Skelton believes future vehicle powertrains will be drawn from a portfolio of alternatives, each optimised for particular applications. “For the foreseeable future, there will be a place for the battery; the choice for a fuel cell solution
The usual objections to hydrogen fuel cell technology are based on cost or infrastructure concerns but Intelligent Energy is positioning itself to overcome these issues, with close to 1000 patents granted and more again pending, many of which are related to manufacturability. With three business divisions – Motive, Consumer Electronics and Distributed Power and Generation – the company’s philosophy is, says Skelton, “to develop once and deploy many times.” That means shared knowledge across divisions and technology transfer between apparently disparate market sectors, all linked back to hydrogen fuel cells. Highly cost-focused products already developed by Intelligent Energy include the Upp micro fuel cell generator (which retails at around US$150) for recharging smart phones without an electrical supply and – in conjunction with Suzuki – a fuel cell Burgman scooter,
“A fuel cell EV is just an EV that refuels with hydrogen instead of recharging the battery pack,” says Dan Skelton, business development director of Intelligent Energy’s Motive division. “It automotiveworld.com/megatrends/
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