Utility vehicles for use in, e.g., a factory compound, an airport or a university campus are in many ways an ideal use case for electric vehicles due to the limited range required. However, charging the batteries can take several hours during which time the vehicle cannot be used. A new hybrid concept which supplements the batteries with a fuel cell system is currently being tested at DTU. Here the overnight charging of the battery packt is supplemented by the ability of instant ‘charging’ by refueling. And unlike many fuel cell systems you don't need hydrogen but can use (bio)methanol which is liquid and easy to handle.
The development has required diverse competences from the project partners. The fuel cells are of the HT-PEM (high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane) type which for several years has been developed and improved by DTU Energy and the company Danish Power Systems. The fuel cells were integrated in a modular liquid-cooled stack design by Teksis, and the injection moulding experts SP Group developed new processes to manufacture the required sealings. Lithium Balance, a Danish producer of battery management systems, has developed a control unit making it possible for the batteries and the fuel cells to work together without problems. Finally, DTU Energy was in charge of the physical integration of the systems in a converted Fiat Scudo.
Over the coming months the vehicle will be part of the DTU Campus Service fleet of utility vehicles, giving the project partners valuable knowledge about the real life behaviour of the vehicle. Hybrid cars capable of running on both electricity and biofuels can play an important role in a sustainable transport system.