Fuel Cell System Experiences in Automotive Applications 2001-01-2549

XCELLSiS Corporation is a Fuel Cell System Engineering and Integration company working in an Alliance with Ford Motor Company, DaimlerChrysler, Ballard Power Systems, and ECOSTAR. The goal of the Alliance is to successfully commercialize Fuel Cell propulsion systems in the automaker partner's vehicles. XCELLSiS is the Tier 1 Fuel Cell System supplier and system integrator with the Fuel Cell stack being supplied by Ballard. The power developed by the XCELLSiS system is transferred to the ECOSTAR drive motor completing the vehicle propulsion system.

Fuel Cell powered vehicles have been produced by both automaker partners, Ford and DaimlerChrysler, and introduced to the public in conjunction with the Fuel Cell Alliance and the California Fuel Cell Partnership. The vehicles are code named Ford Focus Fuel Cell Vehicle and the DC Necar 4A. Through these vehicle experiences and developments, XCELLSiS and its partners have amassed knowledge of the operation of Fuel Cell Systems in fully functional, light duty vehicle environments to further augment heavy duty applications. Information from these experiences of Fuel Cells providing the primary source of propulsion in an automobile environment will contribute to the Alliance product development processes.

This paper will look through the XCELLSiS Fuel Cell System development experience as it applies to the most recent vehicles. It will also discuss peripherally the vehicle interaction along with Fuel Cell System effects, which arose during the development of the Fuel Cell System.

The paper will illustrate that vehicle experiences are technically challenging and many, however, not insurmountable. It will also support the automotive industry's high confidence regarding the future of Fuel Cells as a viable power source for light and heavy duty vehicle propulsion