Intermittent use of a low-cost alkaline fuel cell-hybrid system for electric vehicles

Alkaline fuel cell (AFC) hybrids with the capability to shut down completel y between uses (by draining the circulating KOH electrolyte) can expect an operating life of about 4000 h, which is equivalent to 200,000 km of drivin g, They should be able to compete on cost with heat engines (US$50 to US$10 0 per kW). An early model is the hydrogen/air fuel cell lead-acid hybrid ca r, built by K. Kordesch in the 1970s. Improved air electrodes plus new vari ations of the bipolar stack assembly developed in Graz, make success probab le. In cooperation with Electric Auto (EAC), an ammonia cracker is also in development. A RAM(TM) battery-AFC hybrid combination has been optimized. ( C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.