BMW Research and Technology Showcases Hydrogen Fuel Cell Hybrid, On-Board Reformer

The hydrogen fuel cell hybrid system. Click to enlarge.

In celebration of its 25^th birthday, BMW Forschung und Technik (Research and technology) GmbH premiered the results of two projects designed to highlight ways of reducing fuel consumption and emission values: a prototype fuel-cell hybrid vehicle, and a concept for using an on-board reformer to produce hydrogen from conventional hydrocarbon fuel.

The fuel-cell hybrid vehicle was designed with the objective of emission-free mobility in city traffic. The reformer technology allows significantly optimized emission values during the warming-up phase of the engine.

Fuel-cell hybrid

The fuel cell power unit. Click to enlarge.

The fuel-cell hybrid vehicle launched by BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH is a prototype developed on the basis of a BMW 1 Series car that incorporates a 5 kW fuel cell APU from UTC Power along with a four-cylinder gasoline engine and an electric motor.

The size of the fuel cell is optimized for use at low speeds, whereas the performance benefits of the internal combustion engine are better shown at higher speed. In city traffic, the electrical energy generated by the APU is continuously supplied to high-performance capacitors (supercaps) which have outstanding high power density and cycle robustness. These supercaps cover the performance peaks for acceleration and taking off at traffic lights. The electric motor assumes the function of a generator during coasting and braking phases and feeds electrical energy back to the supercaps. This regenerative braking energy is then available for the subsequent acceleration phases and further reduces consumption. The objective of the researchers in the next stage of expansion is to increase the range provided by electric motive power to several hundred kilometers in city traffic.

All drive components were configured as optimized packages in the 3-door BMW 1 Series. The APU is positioned under the engine hood together with the internal combustion engine, while the electric motor takes the place of the rear axle differential and drives the rear wheels