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Two testing campaigns were performed in Turin by CRF (the Fiat Research Center), and in Rome by ENEA (the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment) and the University "ROMA TRE". The work demonstrates the feature of a FC emulator to characterize fuel-cell-propelled drivetrains without employing an expensive PEM fuel cell and it points out how the vehicle fuel consumption, on a specific mission, depends on two fundamental parameters, the accordance of the FC nominal power with the requested power of the mission and the battery State-of-Charge. In the ENEA Research Center "Casaccia", near Rome, the behaviors of PEM Fuel Cells of different sizes (7, 15, 22 kW) were simulated by replacing them with a controlled AC/DC converter, this fuel cell emulator powering a full-scale hybrid drive train.

A feasibility study related to the realization of a fuel-cell medium-size bus, has been committed by the Tuscany Region with the support of the municipality of Florence and Bologna, and realized by the association ONLUS I2T3 (Industrial Innovation Through Technological Transfer), ENEA, the Italian National Agency for Energy and Environment, and CAM, Carrozzeria Autodromo Modena, an Italian company leader in the field of eco-compatible solutions in the public transport sector. A hybrid traction system has been chosen, to reduce costs and to boost the vehicle efficiency thanks to regenerated energy during deceleration. The paper deals with the general strategic framework, the mission, the vehicle design and, finally, costs and benefits of FCHEVs, compared to conventional buses and hybrid-electric buses with motorgenerators.