APFCT for fleet demo of fuel cell scooters, micro cars in Taiwan I n Taiwan, Asia Pacific Fuel Cell Technologies (APFCT) has won a contract for a fuel cell micro car fleet demonstration, under the Demonstration and Verification Program of Hydrogen Energy Industry organized by the Bureau of Energy in the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
APFCT will develop a 10-unit fleet of fuel cell micro cars, starting in September. The manufacturing of the micro car fleet is expected to be completed in early 2011, followed by a 15-month fleet demonstration data acquisition phase.
In this program, each micro car will be equipped with a 48 V PEM fuel cell/battery hybrid power system with a nominal power output of 3 kW and maximum power output of 5 kW. The hydrogen supply for the cars will use low-pressure metal hydride base canisters that have been specially developed by APFCT for light electric fuel cell vehicles.
Last fall APFCT won a contract for a fleet demonstration of ZES 4.6 fuel cell scooters under the same government program. Production was completed in July, and the 10 scooters are now undergoing demonstration riding and data collection.
The aim of the fleet demonstration is to verify a fuel cell vehicle fleet under the operating conditions and road environment of actual consumer usage, according to APFCT project manager H.S. Chang. The second key issue will be to validate the low-pressure solid hydrogen supply infrastructure based on the unit exchange business model proposed by APFCT.
'The fleet demonstration is a necessary and critical stage that supports fuel cell technology to progress from laboratory into consumer market,' comments chairman Dr Jefferson Yang. 'The awarding of these two demonstration contracts is significant in recognition of APFCT's fuel cell technology, and an important milestone for APFCT in the development of fuel cell applications in light electric vehicles.'
The fuel cell scooters are currently being ridden by technicians and other specific participants under various normal riding conditions. This demonstration phase will run between June 2010 and June 2011. The verification mileage for each vehicle has to reach at least 1000 km (625 miles) to provide valid data for future development.