Fuel CellElectric Vehicles,part 3

EV-310c

This course is presented as part of Evannex Universitya free, open learning environment that presents concise, video-based mini-courses for those who have interest in electric vehicles (EVs)

The DebateI

Under the California Air Resources Board ZEV (zero-emission vehicle) credit program, electric-vehicle manufacturers get a credit for every plug-in vehicle they sell in California and eight other states. They can buy, sell, and trade those credits with other automakers.

In return, the six highest-selling automakers can offer their full vehicle lines in California, including those with very low fuel-economy ratings, without being hit with state fines.

Pay with plug-ins, to play with guzzlers

According to Scott Shepard, a research analyst at consulting firm Navigant Research, which has examined the market around such vehicles, the ZEV program is designed as a 'pay-to-play' approach.

You produce enough vehicles that have a high-mpg rating, then you're able to play the game, and [sell] a lot of low-mileage vehicles, like SUVs and trucks, said Shepard.

And then you can make your money back on those higher-demand vehicles with low mileage."Some claim that in the short term, FCEVs are compliance carsdesigned to meet CA minimum sales requirements and nothing moreUnder CA ZEV regulations, manufacturers get credits for plug-in vehicles.They can use those credits to offset the sales of less efficient ICE vehicles, thereby gaining unfettered access to the CA car market

Major automotive manufacturersToyota, Honda, Hyundaihave doubled down on FCEVs. The question what is their motivation?

Proponents of FCEVs claim that the tech is simply better than battery electric vehicles. Opponents argue that the level of complexity, and the requisite demand for a new fueling infrastructure, offset current FCEV advantages in range and charging time. More than a few vocal opponents suggest that:>> in the short term, FCEVs are compliance carsdesigned to meet CA minimum sales requirements and nothing more.

The CA car market is huge and every automotive manufacturer want unfettered access to that market.>> Under CA zero emission vehicle regulations, manufacturers get credits for plug-in vehicles.>> They can use those credits to offset the sales of less efficient ICE vehicles, thereby ensuring full access to the CA market.

Stated simply, if you sell enough zero emission and plug-in vehicles to meet regulatory requirements, even if you lose money on each, you can then sell many more low mpg vehicles like SUVs and pick-up trucks, which are in high demand and are very profitable.Is this claim legitimate? Hard to say with assurance, butOne indicator is that FCEVs will be rolled out only in western states in the short term.

The DebateIIOthers argue that the well to wheel environmental cost for FCEVs is substantially greater than BEVsEnergy expended on H2 production and refining Energy expended on H2 transportationEnergy expended on H2 storageconsiderably fewer extraction, refining, transportation and production costs associated with grid-based power

>> BEV proponents argue that the well-to-wheel environmental costs for FCEVs are substantially greater than the costs for BEVs.These costs include:>> Energy expended on H2 production and refining >> Energy expended on H2 transportation from the production facility to the fueling station>> Energy expended on H2 storageIn general, there are >> considerably fewer extraction, refining, transportation and production costs associated with grid-based power, making its environmental costs lower than the current costs for delivering hydrogen to the end-user.

The Debate-IIISafety is an issueif hydrogen leaks from its tank and meets with aira spark ignites an explosionTo ensure safety, significant regulation of fueling stations and vehicles must be implemented

Still another criticism of FCEVs is>> Safety>> if hydrogen leaks from its tank and meets with air>> a spark ignites an explosion>> To ensure safety, significant regulation of fueling stations and vehicles must be implemented

QuestionsGreenCarReports.com provides:10 questions for FCEV manufacturerscomparisons with BEVsinfrastructure and energy issuesprojected salesGovernment (the CA Fuel Cell Partnership) and Manufacturer (Toyota, Honda and Hyundai) responsesSee: http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094899_10-questions-on-hydrogen-fuel-cell-cars-to-ask-toyota-honda-hyundai

As a consequence of the on-going debate, and as a method for generating additional information for those who want to understand the debate in depth, >> GreenCarReports.com developed:>> 10 questions for FCEV manufacturers, addressing>> comparisons with BEVs>> infrastructure and energy issues>> projected sales of FCEVs>> the website published responses from the CA Fuel Cell Partnership and Toyota, Honda and Hyundai

For the complete discussionwhich is well worth reading if you have interest in FCEVsefer to the link shown on your screen.

Well briefly present a few sample questions and provide GreenCarReports take on the answers.

Sample QuestionEV ComparisonThe main advantage of hydrogen vehicles is that they can refuel for 300 miles in less than 10 minutes If an affordable battery-electric car in 2020 offers 250 miles of range and can recharge to 80 percent in, say, 12 to 15 minutes--then how much of an advantage will hydrogen fuel-cell cars retain?Saying that you can't compare today's fuel-cell cars to hypothetical future electric cars is fair, certainly. But none of the four respondents actually answered the question we posed: If future DC fast-charging brings "refueling time" for battery-electric cars closer to that of hydrogen vehicles, is there still an advantage? Green Car ReportsFuel-cell makers thus seem to be saying, to one degree or another, that we may see a split among zero-emission vehicles: battery-electrics in the smaller segments, hydrogen power for the larger light trucks that American buyers like so much. Green Car Reports

Heres a sample question from the EV comparison section:

>> The main advantage of hydrogen vehicles is that they can refuel for 300 miles in less than 10 minutes If an affordable battery-electric car in 2020 offers 250 miles of range and can recharge to 80 percent in, say, 12 to 15 minutesthen how much of an advantage will hydrogen fuel-cell cars retain?

Green Car Reports summarizes the automotive manufacturers responses with the following comment: >> Saying that you can't compare today's fuel-cell cars to hypothetical future electric cars is fair, certainly. But none of the four respondents actually answered the question we posed: If future DC fast-charging brings "refueling time" for battery-electric cars closer to that of hydrogen vehicles, is there still an advantage?

In analyzing the responses more fully, GreenCar Reports states:>> Fuel-cell makers thus seem to be saying, to one degree or another, that we may see a split among zero-emission vehicles: battery-electrics in the smaller segments, hydrogen power for the larger light trucks that American buyers like so much.

Sample QuestionInfrastructure and EnergyThe wells-to-wheels footprint of a hydrogen-fueled vehicle appears to be generally worse than that of an electric car That appears to imply that among the broad range of zero-emission vehicles, hydrogen vehicles have a higher carbon footprint than electric cars. How do you overcome this?Hydrogen vehicles can be as low-carbon as battery-electric vehicles under some circumstances. And it appears that the few thousand that will appear on the roads of Southern California within two or three years may well hit that mark, as they will in some other locations--including Germany. Green Car ReportsTo make that the case, however, requires that the hydrogen fuel be produced using a far higher proportion of renewable energy than is used in the average grid mix anywhere in the U.S. Green Car Reports

Source: GreenCarReports.com

This sample question from the category infrastructure and energy >> The well-to-wheels footprint of a hydrogen-fueled vehicle appears to be generally worse than that of an electric car That appears to imply that among the broad range of zero-emission vehicles, hydrogen vehicles have a higher carbon footprint than electric cars. How do you overcome this?

Green Car Reports summarized the automotive manufacturers responses with the following comment:

>> Hydrogen vehicles can be as low-carbon as battery-electric vehicles under some circumstances. And it appears that the few thousand that will appear on the roads of Southern California within two or three years may well hit that mark, as they will in some other locations--including Germany.

>>To make that the case, however, requires that the hydrogen fuel be produced using a far higher proportion of renewable energy than is used in the average grid mix anywhere in the U.S. Green Car Reports

Sample Question - SalesWill your hydrogen fuel-cell car be delivered in numbers any greater than the minimum required by the California Air Resources Board's ZEV rules ?By 2020, BEVs and PHEVs will be 1 percent of the world marketWhen will FCEVs be a significant player?

Source: GreenCarReports.com

The manufacturers were then asked about sales going forward a sample question >> Will your hydrogen fuel-cell car be delivered in numbers any greater than the minimum required by the California Air Resources Board's ZEV rules ?The implication of the question is to determine if FCEV are compliance cars only.

>> GreenCarReports goes on to note that by 2020, BEVs and PHEVs are expected to be about 1 percent of global auto production--or about 1 million vehicles per year.

>> The follow-on question for the manufacturers iswhen will FCEVs be a significant part of that electric vehicle mix.

The manufacturer responses do not appear to answer that question directly.

The FutureThe success of FCEV will be determined by the investment made in R&D by manufacturers and in fueling infrastructure by third partiesIt many very well be that FCEV may become an important option for large vehiclese.g., light trucks, SUVsThe environmental costs of production, refining, transportation and storage must be reduced.

>> The success of FCEV will, like many things, be determined by the investment made in R&D by manufacturers and in fueling infrastructure by third parties>> It many very well be that FCEVs may become an important option for large vehiclese.g., light trucks, SUVs, but n to a significant player for smaller vehicles >> The environmental costs of production, refining, transportation and storage must be reduced, if FCEVs are to become a viable alternative to BEVs and PHEVs.

a free study guide for all EVU mini-courses is available for download from our website For a complete list of mini-courses and the study guide, visit: www.evannex.com

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