Detroit 2009: Fuel cells, a "promising solution," come to Cobo Hall
Photo of a retro fuel cell vehicle by jurvetson. Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0.
Even though the SAE World Congress last year featured a seminar titled, "The Problems of Fuel Cell Commercialization," the SAE is putting a positive spin on fuel cells for the public at this year's Detroit Auto Show. Tomorrow, for example, the SAE International's A World In Motion program will kick off the Fuel Cell Challenge; in the press release announcement, SAE calls fuel cells a "promising solution." The challenge is meant to get middle-school kids across America to think about fuel cells; it's likely that we'll get more details after the press conference at 10 a.m. Wednesday. A World In Motion is a curriculum that explains physical science with "essential mathematic and scientific concepts and skills." More details after the jump.
[Source: SAE International]
PRESS RELEASE:
Fuel Cell Challenge To Be Introduced at NAIAS Education Day Event
WARRENDALE, Pa., Jan. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Developing alternative energy sources for the future is essential. One promising solution may be the fuel cell. SAE International's A World in Motion program will introduce this new activity at a GM/SAE press conference set for Education Day at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
DATE: NAIAS Education Day, Wednesday, Jan. 21
TIME: 10 a.m.
PLACE: Cobo Center, at the GM exhibit
Dan Hancock, GM Vice President of Global Powertrain Engineering, Matthew Miller, SAE International, and students from Lincoln Middle School, Pontiac, and Heilmann Middle School, Detroit, will introduce this new feature of SAE International's A World in Motion K-12 program, supported by the SAE Foundation. This Challenge is targeted to middle-school students across the nation.
The new program, which is receiving support from the GM Foundation and other corporations in the automotive industry, will play a key role in helping to introduce students to the fundamental skills necessary for a future career in science, technology and engineering.
In addition, GM will have available a Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell vehicle for reporters and editors to test drive following press conference; the vehicle will be located at the Ride-And-Drive Park in Michigan Hall.
SAE International is a global association of more than 121,000 engineers and related technical experts in the automotive, aerospace and commercial-vehicle industries. SAE International's core competencies are life-long learning and standards development. SAE International's charitable arm is the SAE Foundation, which supports many programs, including A World in Motion(R) and the Collegiate Design Series.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
paulwesterberg 11:33AM (1/20/2009)
"The Problems of Fuel Cell Commercialization" are that fuel cells are not commercially viable because of cost, range, fuel source, efficiency, distribution, etc.
Spreading propaganda in middle schools is not going to suddenly make fuel cells into a viable product. This is just GM's attempt to load up their hydrogen bandwagon with taxpayer money.
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Epyx 12:01PM (1/20/2009)
""The Problems of Fuel Cell Commercialization" are that fuel cells are not commercially viable because of cost, range, fuel source, efficiency, distribution, etc." -
So basically the same problems that face batteries?
Spreading propaganda in middle schools - Like forcing kids to watch the Al Gore movie?
Chris M 10:15PM (1/20/2009)
Well, Epyx, lets compare fuel cells to batteries with respect to commercialization:
Cost. The most expensive battery pack proposed for an EV was $75K, the cheapest automotive fuel cell is a cool half million dollars, that means the H2 fuel cell must be at least 6x more expensive. The difference in the average prices is even greater, of course. There are far more freeway capable EVs on the road owned by customers (thus affordable) than the entire fleet of H2 fuel cell cars by all manufacturers. All H2FC cars are prototypes or test vehicles subsidized by the government, not one H2 car was actually bought by a customer! So, while BEVs may be expensive, they are still affordable, but H2FC cars are not.
Range. The only area where H2FC cars have managed to catch up to battery electrics, early prototypes had less than a hundred mile range per tank, but with larger higher pressure tanks they have improved to 240 to 300 miles. The record range for H2FC is just over 300 miles, and just over 1,000 miles for a BEV.
Fuel Source. Electricity can be made from almost any energy source, including fossil fuels, renewables, and nuclear. H2 can be made from fossil fuels and from electricity made from any energy source, but making it from fossil fuels means more energy losses thus more fossil fuel used, and making it from electricity requires 3x more electricity than a battery electric would use.
Efficiency. The combination of charger and battery is 85% efficient, the combination of water electrolyzer and compression for storage and H2 fuel cell is at best 24% efficient. Plug-ins take only 1/3 the electricity that the H2 FC car would.
Distribution. The electrical distribution system goes everywhere there is a major road, there are literally millions of outlets. H2 fueling facilities are limited to a handful in LA and a few major cities - about 20 in all.
andrichrose 11:49AM (1/20/2009)
Its all a little sinister to try and ram Fool Cells down
the necks of schoolkids , so that when they grow up
they can help as good consumers to support the
corporate greed of the likes of GM and Big Oil by
thinking they are helping to save the planet !
Does it matter that Fool Cells will never really
work in the real world , Probably not !
The reality behind the greenwash
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5thFx4hqFQ
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RAN 12:31PM (1/20/2009)
The only fuel cell I'm interested in seeing is the metal-air fuel cell.
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Yishaii 7:17PM (1/20/2009)
Note, your article incorrectly referred to the panel in your article. The article is titled "Fuel Cell Vehicle Panel: Challenges Remaining for Commercialization."
You should write a retraction on the title as it is simply incorrect.
I am pro electric cars, whether driven solely by battery or with fuel cells. PHEV are an interim step to both.
Your "editorial" style article misses the point-both technologies (one closer to production than the other) get us away from oil and we should be applauding both.
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Chris M 10:20PM (1/20/2009)
That photo was a blast from the past, it represents the first GM H2 fuel cell test rig. The red tank was for compressed H2, and the green tank was for compressed O2, it used an alkaline fuel cell that needed pure H2 and pure O2. Range was very limited, and it was wildly impractical.
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steven L. 12:43PM (3/20/2009)
I was one of the kids from lincoln middel school,and I thought it was kinda fun.
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