Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Scooters (スクーター) - Electric Bicycles - Wheelchairs

http://www.ika.rwth-aachen.de

水素と燃料電池のスクーター - 電気自転車 - 車いす 

Introduction

The first fuel cell motorcycle was developed by Karl Kordesch in 1967. However, it is only in the past decade that 2-wheeled vehicles have reappeared as a potential early market for Fuel Cell technology. Over the past ten years, more than 40 prototype fuel cell scooters and motorcycles have been launched, along with a range of fuel cell bicycles and wheelchairs. These prototypes have tended to use PEM, DMFC or AFC technology, usually in conjunction with batteries or super capacitors to make them hybrid systems. The battery and/or super capacitor helps the vehicle to cope with peak loads, while the fuel cell runs at more constant running conditions. This type of product is considered attractive as an early market, because the relatively low power requirement of the fuel cell (below 1kW) reduces both its cost and the difficulty of storing fuel. The Fuel Cell offers significant environmental improvements relative to the incumbent technology – typically 2 or 4 stroke internal combustion engines with no emission control and poor noise performance, or electric devices with heavy batteries and limited range.
The PEM FC and AFC systems run on hydrogen. Hydrogen is stored on-board the vehicle either in metal hydride or compressed gas (350 or 700 bar) canisters. In most cases, the vehicle is refuelled by replacing the canisters. The canisters are then re-filled away from the vehicle, possibly by the hydrogen supply company. For example, on the HyChain project, l’Air Liquide is responsible for supplying the hydrogen in 700 bar and 350 bar canisters as required by the project vehicles. The DMFC systems run on methanol, usually supplied in bottles.

Main Players

Over 30 organisations are known to be involved in developing at least one prototype fuel cell scooter, bicycle or wheelchair. A sub-section of these organisations is illustrated in Figure below. The players can been categorised into OEMs, whose primary business is to make scooters, motorcycles or bicycles; system integrators, who wish to show their capability at adapting fuel cell technology for these application; and fuel cell manufacturers, who want to demonstrate how their fuel cell technology can be used on an application. In many cases, the OEM, system integrator and fuel cell manufacturer have worked together to produce the prototype.

Organisations known to have developed a prototype fuel cell scooter, bicycle or wheelchair

Yamaha and Asia Pacific Fuel Cell Technologies (APFCT) appear to be the technical leaders in the fuel cell scooter sector. Since 2003 Yamaha have launched six concept or prototype fuel cell scooters. Some of these used DMFC technology, while others used PEM fuel cells. APFCT have been developing fuel cell scooters since the late 1990s and are currently working on their 5th generation of prototype ZES (Zero Emission Scooter).
The prototype fuel cell scooters and motorcycles that have been developed so far tend to be in the power range equivalent to 50cc – 250cc.

Recent Developments

Although there have been many prototype fuel cell scooters and motorcycles launched, there appears to be a lack of data available regarding testing these vehicles in a real world environment. One of the exceptions to this is Yamaha who leased their FC-me scooter prototype to the Japanese Shizuko Prefecture from September 2005 to March 2007. Yamaha have published as least one technical paper on their observations from testing the scooter during this lease period. Their results show a reduction in fuel cell performance over the lease period, which they considered to be due to the frequent stopping and starting of the vehicle. They also noticed that the fuel economy was worse during winter months due to the additional power required from the battery to bring the fuel cell up to operating temperature. Yamaha are using the results from the FC-me testing to improve future designs for fuel cell scooters ^[1]. In the developed world, fuel costs have not historically been a major issue in this sector; however in the developing world, and given recent rises in energy prices, reasonable efficiency can be expected to be important.
When one considers potential fuel cell applications, electric bicycles is a sector not usually included on the list, and yet this may be one of the first to market fuel cell applications. At least two companies in Europe are known to be selling electrically assisted bicycles with fuel cell power systems. UK based Valeswood ETD Ltd have adapted an electric bicycle to be powered by a fuel cell. This fuel cell bicycle has a retail price of £2,475 (€3,220) excluding taxes ^[2]. Veloform, in Germany, make tricycle rickshaws for transporting passengers or cargo around an inner city environment. They have a DMFC option within their product range that costs €3,750 in addition to the price of the base vehicle ^[3]. The DMFC system is supplied by SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG. SFC also have an agreement with the Dutch bicycle company van Raam ^[4]. Van Raam specialise in the manufacture of bicycles for people with disability. From February 2008 their “Fun2Go” tricycle has been equipped ex works with a SFC EFOY DMFC (refer to Glossary at the end of this report).
Some of the recent developments in fuel cell scooters, bicycles and wheelchairs are displayed in the time line in Figure below. One other recent development to note, which has not been included in this timeline, was the launch of the SFC Smart Fuel Cell DMFC scooter and DMFC wheelchair. These were exhibited at the Hannover Messe in April 2008. The fuel cell scooter was displayed with an attached price tag of €4,999. It is unclear if SFC intend to enter the FC scooter market, or if the purpose of this prototype was to demonstrate how their DMFC products could be applied to a scooter. However it is unusual for a fuel cell product to have a visible price tag.

Key Milestones and Future Developments for fuel cell scooter, bicycle and wheelchair applications

Drivers and Barriers

Drivers for applying fuel cell technology to scooters, bicycles and wheelchair include reducing vehicle emissions, while maintaining a suitable recharging time. Figure 17 provides an overview of the other drivers and barriers to introducing fuel cell technology in this sector.

Drivers and Barriers for fuel cell scooters, bicycles and wheelchairs

There is a very significant potential market opportunity for fuel cell scooters and bicycles in the developing world, particularly China. Motorised two-wheel vehicles are a popular form of transportation throughout the country. However over 40 cities in China have introduced restrictions on the purchase or use of motorised two-wheeled vehicles in order to reduce crime, to reduce the number of road accidents and to improve local air quality. These restrictions have contributed to the surge in sales of electric bicycles and scooters in China since the late 1990s (21 million electric bikes were sold in China in 2007 ^[5]. Although the rise of battery-powered electric scooters and bicycles could challenge the short-term market opportunity for fuel cells, it does provide a long-term market opportunity, as Fuel cells could be used to enhance the e-bike products by acting as range extender.
As for all fuel cell applications, the uptake of fuel cell scooters, bicycles and wheelchairs is dependent on the development of a suitable fuel infrastructure. However there are several novel approaches which could be adopted for developing a fuel infrastructure for fuel cell scooters, bicycles and wheelchairs. For example, the HyChain project is developing cartridge dispensers with which users can obtain new, full hydrogen canisters in exchange for empty ones.
Cost is another significant issue for this sector. Scooters and bicycles are relatively inexpensive vehicles, so although the low power fuel cell is relatively cheap compared to a passenger car fuel cell drivetrain, it can still be difficult for fuel cells to compete with the existing internal-combustion technology. Therefore this sector is likely to succeed where legislation is limiting hydrocarbon emissions from conventional two-wheeled vehicles, or where incentives for cleaner alternatives create a market that attracts significant numbers of early adopters.

Concluding Remarks

To exploit the potential of this early market sector for the Fuel Cell, the following need to be realised:

• Transport policy needs to support the development of markets for zero-emission two wheelers in Europe, as without a domestic market it will be harder to export products or know-how to the larger developing world markets
• Low power stack systems (perhaps exploiting synergy with light industrial vehicles) need to be realised at a level of cost, size and durability suitable for vehicle use
• Improvements in the fuel cell / fuel tank package need to remain ahead of improvements in competing battery technology
• The supply of fuel, potentially remaining with the canister principle, needs to become sufficiently widespread that it remains competitive with inevitable developments in electric charging infrastructure

In conclusion, the sector is potentially promising, and appears to offer the potential of an untapped global market for basic, low cost but clean individual mobility. Further investment in better products, and the retailing of fuel, is needed in order to exploit this market; but there is a real risk that products developed and made cheaply in China could dominate world markets.

References

1. ↑ MURAMATSU, Y., FURUKAWA, K and ADACHI, S., Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., Evaluation of direct methanol fuel cell systems for two-wheeled vehicles, 2007, SAE 2007-32-0112, JSAE 20076612
2. ↑ Valeswood Environment Technology webpage on their Pearl Hydrogen Bicycle, http://www.valeswood.com/hydrogen-bicycle.php, as displayed in July 2008
3. ↑ Veloform website, http://www.veloform.com, price information as stated in July 2008
4. ↑ SFC Smart Fuel Cell website, van Raam and Veloform start serial production, press release issued 13 February 2008, http://www.efoy.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=922&Itemid=177
5. ↑ China Remains On Top Despite Pressures, article from Bicycle Retailer, 8 July 2008, link: http://www.bicycleretailer.com/news/newsDetail/1559.html