R-34
05-28-2003, 11:19 AM
Fuel Cell Growing Pains
United Press International - May 21, 2003
Later this year, United Parcel Service drivers in Ypsilanti, Mich., will begin delivering express letters in a Mercedes-Benz compact powered by a hydrogen fuel cell.
The test of the high-mileage, non-polluting vehicle is a joint effort by DaimlerChrysler, UPS and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and a big step for fuel cell technology.
"DaimlerChrysler is working on several fronts to put fuel cell powered vehicles on public roads," Chrysler Group CEO Dieter Zetsche told a news conference at Chrysler headquarters in Auburn Hills outside Detroit.
"We're pleased to be working closely with the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy to bring substance and tangible progress to President Bush's vision of accelerating the development of hydrogen-powered vehicles."
The Mercedes A-Class will be powered by a Ballard fuel cell and will be used as an everyday express delivery vehicle.
UPS plans to add a fuel-cell powered Dodge Sprinter van to its delivery fleet in 2004 after a hydrogen refueling station is built at the government's National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor. The Sprinter will become the first medium-duty fuel cell vehicle in commercial service in the United States.
The fuel-cell program will allow Chrysler engineers to evaluate how fuel cells perform in Michigan's cold weather and give the EPA and UPS operational experience with a hydrogen refueling station.
Widespread use of fuel-cell vehicles would require building new infrastructure to supply the hydrogen that is turned into electricity by fuel cell technology. The process is virtually pollution-free. There are no tailpipe emissions and the only byproducts are water and heat.
DaimlerChrysler hopes to have 60 F-Cell vehicles and 30 Citaro fuel-cell buses in real-world use on public roads sometime next year.
"There are still significant obstacles to proving the commercial viability of the technology," Zetsche said.
Industry experts say the public should expect growing pains with fuel cell technology, which uses renewable hydrogen gas rather than exhaustible gasoline or diesel fuel.
Toyota Motor Co. Tuesday recalled all six of the hydrogen-powered vehicles it put on public roads in Japan and California because one developed a fuel tank leak while being refueled in Japan.
The million-dollar-plus prototypes were leased to four Japanese government ministries and the University of California. Toyota began testing the fuel-cell vehicles in Japan two years ago and they arrived in the United States in July 2001.
Fuel cell-powered vehicles got a workout this month when the California Fuel Cell Partnership held its 2003 "Rally Thru the Valley" -- a 400-mile caravan of alternative-fueled and zero-emission vehicles through 10 counties in the state's Central Valley, which is plagued by poor air quality.
The clean-running vehicles were provided by DaimlerChrysler, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan and Toyota.
Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn announced the city had signed a two-year lease to put hydrogen fuel-cell technology in practical use.
Copyright 2003 by United Press International.
United Press International - May 21, 2003
Later this year, United Parcel Service drivers in Ypsilanti, Mich., will begin delivering express letters in a Mercedes-Benz compact powered by a hydrogen fuel cell.
The test of the high-mileage, non-polluting vehicle is a joint effort by DaimlerChrysler, UPS and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and a big step for fuel cell technology.
"DaimlerChrysler is working on several fronts to put fuel cell powered vehicles on public roads," Chrysler Group CEO Dieter Zetsche told a news conference at Chrysler headquarters in Auburn Hills outside Detroit.
"We're pleased to be working closely with the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy to bring substance and tangible progress to President Bush's vision of accelerating the development of hydrogen-powered vehicles."
The Mercedes A-Class will be powered by a Ballard fuel cell and will be used as an everyday express delivery vehicle.
UPS plans to add a fuel-cell powered Dodge Sprinter van to its delivery fleet in 2004 after a hydrogen refueling station is built at the government's National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor. The Sprinter will become the first medium-duty fuel cell vehicle in commercial service in the United States.
The fuel-cell program will allow Chrysler engineers to evaluate how fuel cells perform in Michigan's cold weather and give the EPA and UPS operational experience with a hydrogen refueling station.
Widespread use of fuel-cell vehicles would require building new infrastructure to supply the hydrogen that is turned into electricity by fuel cell technology. The process is virtually pollution-free. There are no tailpipe emissions and the only byproducts are water and heat.
DaimlerChrysler hopes to have 60 F-Cell vehicles and 30 Citaro fuel-cell buses in real-world use on public roads sometime next year.
"There are still significant obstacles to proving the commercial viability of the technology," Zetsche said.
Industry experts say the public should expect growing pains with fuel cell technology, which uses renewable hydrogen gas rather than exhaustible gasoline or diesel fuel.
Toyota Motor Co. Tuesday recalled all six of the hydrogen-powered vehicles it put on public roads in Japan and California because one developed a fuel tank leak while being refueled in Japan.
The million-dollar-plus prototypes were leased to four Japanese government ministries and the University of California. Toyota began testing the fuel-cell vehicles in Japan two years ago and they arrived in the United States in July 2001.
Fuel cell-powered vehicles got a workout this month when the California Fuel Cell Partnership held its 2003 "Rally Thru the Valley" -- a 400-mile caravan of alternative-fueled and zero-emission vehicles through 10 counties in the state's Central Valley, which is plagued by poor air quality.
The clean-running vehicles were provided by DaimlerChrysler, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan and Toyota.
Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn announced the city had signed a two-year lease to put hydrogen fuel-cell technology in practical use.
Copyright 2003 by United Press International.