Non-polluting. Sustainable. Energy secure. These terms wouldn't apply to the automobile as we know it. "Gas-guzzler" is the standard epithet for the SUVs that Americans have embraced, and air pollution and greenhouse gases are two of their hazards.
The State of California, however, is at the forefront of efforts to transform our vehicles. One effort is the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP), a public/private collaboration composed of 31 member companies: automobile manufacturers, fuel cell technology companies, energy providers and representatives from a number of state and federal government agencies. Its purpose is to promote the commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Analisa Bevan, Chief of Sustainable Transportation, Technology Branch of the California Air Resources Board says, "The California Fuel Cell Partnership is an opportunity to develop relationships with those entities involved in the commercialization of fuel cell technology. Our zero emissions policy adopted in 1990 requires automakers to produce and deliver zero emission vehicles to California. The fuel cell vehicle is one of the technologies that can meet the regulation, so we're deeply involved in making sure that technology is successful in the marketplace.'
The California Fuel Cell Partnership was announced in 1999. "The State of California was a very important initiator of this project, and they are a member through two important agencies, the Air Resources Quality Board and the California Energy Commission, both founding members," says CaFCP's Executive Director, Catherine Dunwoody. "California is the place where the members believe the fuel cell-powered vehicle will first come to market. They're using California as a proving ground because the state has been a leader for many years in advanced transportation technology, environmental awareness and interest in low- and zero-emission vehicles."
The partnership, first envisioned as a small demonstration project for alternative fuel vehicles, quickly grew to 31 members. A headquarters facility in Sacramento provides leased space to each of the automobile companies where they can test and evaluate their vehicles. "It's an opportunity to get real world learning," Dunwoody says.
The partnership's members cooperate on issues such as providing education and outreach to the public, determining standards for fueling stations and offering first responder training-necessary because fuel cells, which have hydrogen and high voltage electric power, will be new to firefighters and police at an auto accident scene. The partnership also works with the California Air Resources Board in planning the Hydrogen Highway, a network of hydrogen fueling stations throughout California. "We look at the partnership as an umbrella. We help all the members in implementing their individual programs," Dunwoody says.
Automakers give the partnership high marks for helping to bring fuel cell technology to the marketplace. "The California Fuel Cell Partnership is dong a great job of leading the way, says Nick Cappa, manager of advanced technology communications for Daimler Chrysler. "We've been able to work with other manufacturers, oil companies and fuel cell companies and gain a lot of shared information."
While they collaborate on issues of common concern, each company's technology solution is its own. All are at different points in research and development. Most have a small number of vehicles being driven and tested in real world conditions in the State of California and a few other states, in addition to some international sites.
Daimler Chrysler has over 100 fuel cell vehicles on the road. Cappa says the company has put well over a billion dollars into research. "About a year ago, we started the F600 fuel cell concept. It takes fuel cell vehicles to a range customers are accustomed to, about 300 miles per fill. The next generation has a fuel cell system that is much more efficient and also has higher capacities. We'll build hundreds," he says.
Craig Scott, manager for alternative fuel vehicles, says, "In alternative fuel vehicles, there are multiple pathways. We don't see hydrogen fuel cells as the �silver bullet' that will meet everyone's needs. It's the most promising environmentally from our standpoint, but because there are a lot of unknowns with regard to hydrogen, we're also pursing other pathways and powertrains." He says that Toyota was the first automotive company to launch a consumer hydrogen fuel cell testing program in the United States with seven cars in 2002. Currently the company is testing nine cars in Northern and Southern California.
Beginning in 2007, Hyundai is bringing 30 fuel cell vehicles into the country in a Department of Energy/private enterprise cost sharing program. The company, which currently has a small testing program in California and Michigan, will place the vehicles in fleet testing environments in California and Michigan through 2009 to demonstrate their usability in real world work environments. "We're working with Chevron, which supplies the energy, and UTC Power, which supplies the fuel cell and system technology, in a kind of coalition, sharing technology with that small group to bring it along quickly," says Kevin Oates, communications consultant for Ketchum, Hyundai's public relations agency.
CaFCP's Dunwoody says, "We'll see the first hydrogen fuel cell cars in the next few years-not millions of them, but thousands of them." Honda plans to either lease or sell its fuel cell vehicles in 2008, she says. General Motors has a similar goal for 2010. In preparation, General Motors will begin placing more than 100 Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles with customers in 2007 in California, the New York metropolitan area and Washington D.C. Dave Barthmuss, GM spokesperson, says, "Our goal is to get our engineering right by 2010. We aim to develop a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle that is affordable and can compete with an internal combustion engine in terms of reliability and durability."
Ford's Greg Frenette is less optimistic. Chief engineer for Ford's fuel cell vehicles program, he says that many challenges have to be solved before the vehicles are commercially viable. These include lower cost per vehicle, technology breakthrough in on-board hydrogen storage and improved durability. "We've built a fleet of 30 vehicles in our third generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, based on the Ford Focus, and placed them with customers in various parts of the world. We're currently designing our fourth. We see great improvements with each generation," he says.
JoAnn Milliken, hydrogen program manager and chief engineer with theDepartment of Defense says, "California was the first state to promote fuel cell technology and is the farthest along." The department has been working on developing hydrogen fuel cells for automobiles for the past 20 years, making progress in reducing the cost of fuel cells and producing hydrogen and in working on materials that could lead to better hydrogen storage facilities. These gains have led to increased funding that is helping to accelerate the technology.
The State of California, however, is at the forefront of efforts to transform our vehicles. One effort is the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP), a public/private collaboration composed of 31 member companies: automobile manufacturers, fuel cell technology companies, energy providers and representatives from a number of state and federal government agencies. Its purpose is to promote the commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Analisa Bevan, Chief of Sustainable Transportation, Technology Branch of the California Air Resources Board says, "The California Fuel Cell Partnership is an opportunity to develop relationships with those entities involved in the commercialization of fuel cell technology. Our zero emissions policy adopted in 1990 requires automakers to produce and deliver zero emission vehicles to California. The fuel cell vehicle is one of the technologies that can meet the regulation, so we're deeply involved in making sure that technology is successful in the marketplace.'
The California Fuel Cell Partnership was announced in 1999. "The State of California was a very important initiator of this project, and they are a member through two important agencies, the Air Resources Quality Board and the California Energy Commission, both founding members," says CaFCP's Executive Director, Catherine Dunwoody. "California is the place where the members believe the fuel cell-powered vehicle will first come to market. They're using California as a proving ground because the state has been a leader for many years in advanced transportation technology, environmental awareness and interest in low- and zero-emission vehicles."
The partnership, first envisioned as a small demonstration project for alternative fuel vehicles, quickly grew to 31 members. A headquarters facility in Sacramento provides leased space to each of the automobile companies where they can test and evaluate their vehicles. "It's an opportunity to get real world learning," Dunwoody says.
The partnership's members cooperate on issues such as providing education and outreach to the public, determining standards for fueling stations and offering first responder training-necessary because fuel cells, which have hydrogen and high voltage electric power, will be new to firefighters and police at an auto accident scene. The partnership also works with the California Air Resources Board in planning the Hydrogen Highway, a network of hydrogen fueling stations throughout California. "We look at the partnership as an umbrella. We help all the members in implementing their individual programs," Dunwoody says.
Automakers give the partnership high marks for helping to bring fuel cell technology to the marketplace. "The California Fuel Cell Partnership is dong a great job of leading the way, says Nick Cappa, manager of advanced technology communications for Daimler Chrysler. "We've been able to work with other manufacturers, oil companies and fuel cell companies and gain a lot of shared information."
While they collaborate on issues of common concern, each company's technology solution is its own. All are at different points in research and development. Most have a small number of vehicles being driven and tested in real world conditions in the State of California and a few other states, in addition to some international sites.
Daimler Chrysler has over 100 fuel cell vehicles on the road. Cappa says the company has put well over a billion dollars into research. "About a year ago, we started the F600 fuel cell concept. It takes fuel cell vehicles to a range customers are accustomed to, about 300 miles per fill. The next generation has a fuel cell system that is much more efficient and also has higher capacities. We'll build hundreds," he says.
Craig Scott, manager for alternative fuel vehicles, says, "In alternative fuel vehicles, there are multiple pathways. We don't see hydrogen fuel cells as the �silver bullet' that will meet everyone's needs. It's the most promising environmentally from our standpoint, but because there are a lot of unknowns with regard to hydrogen, we're also pursing other pathways and powertrains." He says that Toyota was the first automotive company to launch a consumer hydrogen fuel cell testing program in the United States with seven cars in 2002. Currently the company is testing nine cars in Northern and Southern California.
Beginning in 2007, Hyundai is bringing 30 fuel cell vehicles into the country in a Department of Energy/private enterprise cost sharing program. The company, which currently has a small testing program in California and Michigan, will place the vehicles in fleet testing environments in California and Michigan through 2009 to demonstrate their usability in real world work environments. "We're working with Chevron, which supplies the energy, and UTC Power, which supplies the fuel cell and system technology, in a kind of coalition, sharing technology with that small group to bring it along quickly," says Kevin Oates, communications consultant for Ketchum, Hyundai's public relations agency.
CaFCP's Dunwoody says, "We'll see the first hydrogen fuel cell cars in the next few years-not millions of them, but thousands of them." Honda plans to either lease or sell its fuel cell vehicles in 2008, she says. General Motors has a similar goal for 2010. In preparation, General Motors will begin placing more than 100 Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles with customers in 2007 in California, the New York metropolitan area and Washington D.C. Dave Barthmuss, GM spokesperson, says, "Our goal is to get our engineering right by 2010. We aim to develop a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle that is affordable and can compete with an internal combustion engine in terms of reliability and durability."
Ford's Greg Frenette is less optimistic. Chief engineer for Ford's fuel cell vehicles program, he says that many challenges have to be solved before the vehicles are commercially viable. These include lower cost per vehicle, technology breakthrough in on-board hydrogen storage and improved durability. "We've built a fleet of 30 vehicles in our third generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, based on the Ford Focus, and placed them with customers in various parts of the world. We're currently designing our fourth. We see great improvements with each generation," he says.
JoAnn Milliken, hydrogen program manager and chief engineer with theDepartment of Defense says, "California was the first state to promote fuel cell technology and is the farthest along." The department has been working on developing hydrogen fuel cells for automobiles for the past 20 years, making progress in reducing the cost of fuel cells and producing hydrogen and in working on materials that could lead to better hydrogen storage facilities. These gains have led to increased funding that is helping to accelerate the technology.
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