BREEZE! Fuel Cell Range Extender for Electric Vehicles: Zero Emission!

BREEZE!

64.65.69-EM-1020A

The main advantages of battery electric vehicles (BEV) are driving without local emissions and high tank-to-wheel efficiency. Because of cost, weight, and packaging reasons, the electric range and the recharging time of BEV is an issue. Even with pioneering battery-technologies, high ranges and fast charging will not be economically feasible in the medium term. As a consequence of this, the project focuses on the development and integration of a 30 kW Fuel Cell Range Extender Module, which increases the range of BEV significantly and enables highly efficient driving without emissions and with minimal noise. Additionally, the Range-Extender-Module improves the battery lifetime by avoiding deep-discharge. Furthermore, the overall range of the BEV can be increased by using the waste heat of the fuel cell for cabin-heating.

The fuel cell system, which is especially designed for a BEV of the subcompact class, can also be used in other applications like materials handling, UPS, and grid-independent systems because of its compact design and its high level of component integration.

07/2011 - 07/2015