ABSTRACT
Fuel cells that can overcome the major technical limitations of the storage batteries, namely their energy density, have shown promise for automotive applications. A fuel-cell vehicle (FCV) uses a fuel cell stack as the source of electric power to drive an electric-traction motor. Various types of fuel cells are: alkaline fuel cells, phosphoric acid fuel cells, polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs), molten carbonate fuel cells, and solid oxide fuel cells. This chapter estimates power and energy consumption of modern car, and examines feasibility of the PEFCs for realizing a viable FCV. In the case of direct hydrogen FCV, the output voltage from each cell is collected and sent to the power electronic converter stage, where it is converted to usable power by using a DC/DC converter. An improved version X-TRAIL FCV 2003 model comprised a fuel cell stack developed by Nissan delivering an enhanced power output of 90 kW, making the maximum speed and acceleration comparable to a gasoline engine.
