Jumping Hurdles | Green Energy News

June 22, 2003 – Vol.8 No.13

JUMPING HURDLES.

According to Hyundai and UTC Fuel Cells one of the challenges ahead for hydrogen fuel cells is operation in sub-freezing conditions. When the mercury drops below 32 F or 0 C, water - the by-product of the oxygen/hydrogen reaction - remaining within a fuel cell will, naturally, freeze after the vehicle is turned off. Restarting is difficult if not impossible.

] Hyundai and UTC Fuel Cells have announced they will work on a solution to the problem - build a freeze-capable fuel cell - and install it in a sport utility vehicle platform by next year.

The two companies have also announced that they will have a limited number of fuel cell vehicles available for lease by fleets by 2004. By 2010, the companies also say, there would be limited consumer availability. Visit UTC at http://www.utcfuelcells.com/.