Hydrogen Supplied ICEs and Fuel Cells for Commercial Vehicles

In view of the limited availability of fossil fuels and the necessity to reduce the output of emissions of greenhouse gases in the long term, the transport sector needs efficient, environmentally compatible drive solutions. Hydrogen, as a clean and sustainable fuel, offers a high implementation potential and can be used both in internal combustion engines and in fuel cells. In urban deployment the fuel cell drive has specific advantages and is suitable for use in city buses. Integration of high-power energy storage systems improves fuel consumption and can reduce the costs of the drive system. In May 2000 MAN presented its first fuel cell bus, which was successfully deployed in passenger transport in various cities. The next FC-bus, using hybrid fuel cell propulsion, is planned under the framework of the Bavarian hydrogen project at Munich Airport and will be tested from spring 2004 on. The first deployment of pre-series bus fleets with fuel cells using hydrogen as fuel can be expected from the end of this decade onwards.