Mexican Media Brands
Nissan Shows e-Bio Fuel Cell Concept Vehicle
Nissan Motor Co. unveiled its e-Bio Fuel-Cell concept model this week in Brazil.
Share
Nissan Motor Co. unveiled its e-Bio Fuel-Cell concept this week in Brazil. The vehicle, which is based on the company’s e-NV200 electric van, runs on hydrogen extracted from ethanol.
The vehicle features a bio-ethanol solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) rather than proton-exchange-membrane stack used by conventional fuel cells. Both approaches create electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen.
The prototype’s 5-kW SOFC charges a 24-kWh battery that Nissan estimates will provide nearly 400 miles of driving range. SOFCs, which have long been used in stationary power generation systems, promise to lower the cost and improve the safety of fuel cell vehicles by deriving hydrogen from fuel sources that are more easily obtained than pure hydrogen.
Nissan announced plans for the bio-ethanol SOFC system in June. It plans to begin testing the e-Bio Fuel-Cell concept van on public roads in Brazil later this year.
Bio-ethanol can be sourced from widely available renewable crops such as corn and sugar cane. The mixture used by the Nissan system can contain as much as 55% water to further reduce cost.
RELATED CONTENT
-
GM Is Down with Diesels
General Motors is one company that is clearly embracing the diesel engine.
-
When Automated Production Turning is the Low-Cost Option
For the right parts, or families of parts, an automated CNC turning cell is simply the least expensive way to produce high-quality parts. Here’s why.
-
Increasing Use of Structural Adhesives in Automotive
Can you glue a car together? Frank Billotto of DuPont Transportation & Industrial discusses the major role structural adhesives can play in vehicle assembly.
