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This is part of the ItalianCar.net archive - go to ItalianCar.net now NEWS ARCHIVE Fiat launches hydrogen powered car
Fiat has launched a hydrogen version of its new city car - the Panda - which runs on hydrogen and produces water vapour as its only exhaust gas which, unlike the emissions of a normal car (or indeed the methane produced as the exhaust gas of bamboo-eating Panda) is harmless to the environment. Fiat intends to use this revolutionary model - part of its extensive research programme - to explore a new technological solution, assess car behaviour under actual conditions and determine environmental benefits. Although it is unlikely that Fuel Cell propulsion systems will be widely available before the end of the next decade Fiat has already been actively examining the field for several years. Hence the 2001 debut of the Elettra H2 Fuel Cell, and more recently the Seicento Hydrogen. Both prototypes were produced at the Fiat Research Centre in cooperation with the Italian Ministry for the Environment. The Panda Hydrogen has now taken up the baton to take research from the laboratory prototype stage to that of a field research vehicle. The choice of Fiat's new supermini as the first experimental vehicle for small fleets is easily explained: as fuel cell technology aims to reduce significantly the environmental effect of the car, a city car such as the Panda is the best suited for providing effective answers to the environmental problems of our cities. The Panda Hydrogen is the best example of Fiat's broad-based commitment to this specific field of research. Yet its efforts in this field do not preventing it from pursuing research and development into other technologies that could be applicable in the short and medium term. Over recent years, the progress achieved in conventional petrol and diesel engine technologies has been paralleled by alternative products where Fiat Auto has had some success - from electric traction to hybrid traction and natural gas fuel systems. Fiat Auto has complemented these development projects in conjunction with public awareness campaigns such as the Methane Project that aims to reduce emissions and fuel consumption. Fiat is currently the only manufacturer in the world with a full array of vehicles with alternative traction or fuel systems and the launch of the Panda Hydrogen fits the company's strategy in this area. The Panda Hydrogen features 'hybrid full power' architecture. The stack, the heart of the Fuel Cell electrical generation system, is connected directly to the electric engine and supplies the vehicle with all the power required. A small battery pack cuts in to add extra energy during car acceleration and improve overall system performance. The use of batteries allows part of the kinetic braking energy to be recovered. This aids start-up in cold climates and also allows high efficiency levels to be achieved. The stack is located beneath the bonnet and consists of several electrolytic cells connected in series. Inside, hydrogen and oxygen atoms combine with the aid of a catalytic converter to produce water and heat and also generate electrical energy with zero emissions. The system is supplied with hydrogen at a pressure of 1.5 bar and produces, from oxygen contained in air (also compressed), electrical energy with a maximum power of 40 kW with a high rate of efficiency (65% at 20% of maximum power). The electric engine is three-phase asynchronous alternating current type with the transmission and battery pack located at the rear of the car beneath the luggage compartment. The hydrogen that feeds the Fuel Cell is contained at a pressure of 350 bar in two tanks made out of composite material installed beneath the floorpan. The first is in the central tunnel while the second is located near the rear seat. All the distinguishing features of the new Panda passenger compartment are therefore maintained, including the roominess of the standard production model. The system is completed by auxiliary circuits to supply the hydrogen, manage the air and water and cool the stack. The Panda Hydrogen Fuel Cell system delivers a maximum electric power of 40 kW that supplies the electric traction motor. This gives the car a 130 km/h top speed, a 0-50km/h (lets not worry about 0-100km/h just yet!) of <7secs and a max climable gradient at take-off of 20%. Both hydrogen tanks offer an overall volume of 68
litres and give the car a range of more than 220 km. Refuelling time is
very fast - the process takes less than 10 minutes compared with the 8
hours required to fully recharge the batteries of an electric vehicle. © italiancar.com.au 25/10/03
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