Renault unveils hydrogen Scénic ZEV H2
We already knew about Nissan's X-trail running on hydrogen, so this might not come as a surprise, but Nissan's partner Renault has launched the fuel-cell Scénic ZEV H2 prototype. This compact people carrier improves the X-trail's performance and almost matches the numbers of a regular car: maximum speed is 160 km/h (about 100mph) and it's got a range of 350 km (200 miles) thanks to a 350 bar-pressurized tank which can contain up to 3.7 kg of H2. Renault stated that this tank was ready for 700 bar pressure, which would extend the range to 500 km (330 mi).Nissan supplied the fuel cell, the tank and the lithium-ion battery, while Renault's engineers prepared the Scénic's floor to be able to admit them. This meant that the car got 6 cm (2.5 in) taller, but overall interior space, including trunk space, was preserved. You can watch a video (in French) here.
[Source: Autoplus]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
A.Brien 2:24PM (6/20/2008)
With a car like that you can make your fuel at home or it can be made at the refueling station. If it's made by a water electrolyser it can be a system good for the next 1000 years or more especially if there is no atomic bombs, chimical arsenal, chimical spread deaseases of all sort by goverments, so on. But as an energy system it's sustainable for the long terme future. Itm compagny already sell a home electrolyser for making h2 from water. I think that for 3 000$ to 5000$ it's possible to build a water electrolyser that can store and compress hydrogen up to around 10 000 p.s.i. So with that we can have a system for the future contrary to petroluem that is unsustainable for the money account, for the pollution of air water and land and for the war and for the plain quantity of it even if there is enouph for 100 to 200 years ahead in my opinion. Big manufacturers should adopt the inside water electrolyser like genepax for simplicity an even more fuel economy.
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Chris M 12:43AM (6/21/2008)
Both Renault and Nissan are putting much more effort into EVs than into H2 FC cars, and have no real intention of actually producing H2 FC cars. But they've got to make something to lure the h2 fans and get some of those government H2 hyping grants.
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A.Brien 5:55PM (6/23/2008)
On the majors manufacturers front they begin to market hydrogen fuelcell first like honda with their fcx clarity and gm with their hydrogen suv that are on the road right now. Not heard of any battery car from a big compagny yet. Also hydrogen is on par with current range and power then today's car, battery on the other hand is half or even less that that compare to today's available performance and range and reliability
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