Green Energy News | April 5, 1998

April 5, 1998 – Vol.3 No.1

ENERGIES... week of April 5,1998

THE POWERFUL PANOZ. Automobile racing has never seen anything like the Panoz Q9 hybrid race car - now being readied for the 24 Hours of Lemans. Here are the particulars.

Geared in tandem with the car’s Ford V-8 is a Zytek oil-cooled, permanent magnet, brushless DC motor connected to a 260 cell Varta nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery pack. A Panoz-Zytek powertrain management system controls power application, regenerative braking, and recharging. When needed for a high speed chase (or to keep ahead of the pack), the Zytek motor adds a spurt of 150 horsepower - power from energy stored in the battery pack. The V-8 and electric motor combined offer up to 690 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque.

Under deceleration or braking, the Zytek motor converts to its alternator mode, becomes regenerative, and keeps the battery pack charged. In road races like Lemans, cars can spend almost as much time decelerating as they do accelerating or at high speed - allowing plenty of time for recharging. The car is expected to run the entire race on one battery pack. The regenerative braking system has the added bonus of reducing the workload on the car’s disk brakes.

With better fuel economy from the hybrid drivetrain along with a linear power curve and its efficient braking, the Q9 shows great promise as a racing contender as well as being environmentally responsible - for a race car that is.

The Q9 doesn’t have to win. The car’s mere presence at Lemans may prove that automobile racing can survive and prosper in a world becoming increasingly concerned about its own emissions.

BUSINESS AT BALLARD. With its new global alliance, Ballard Power Systems, Ford Motor Company, and Daimler-Benz AG aim to become the world’s largest producer of fuel cell powered drivetrains and components for cars, trucks and buses. The agreement puts Ballard in charge of fuel cells, Daimler-Benz with fuel cell systems, and Ford will be responsible for electric drivetrain systems within a new company to be formed.

Ford has invested about $420 million in cash, technology and assets in the alliance. Together the three have more than $700 million invested.

In recent months Ballard has received orders of $3.6 million from General Motors for fuel cells and equipment, $1.7 million from Honda for 1 kw portable fuel cells systems and $1.625 million from Cinergy for a stationary fuel cell power plant. Ballard fuel cells are also being used by Chrysler, Nissan,Volkswagen,Volvo, Matsushita Electric Works, GPU International and GEC ALSTHOM.