Volkswagen recently held a Fuel Cell event in Sacramento, CA (at the California Fuel Cell Partnership) which showcased the new automotive technologies that they are working on. We were also able to take a drive in the zero emissions Passat Lingyu, which was developed by Volkswagen Shanghai and Volkswagen Group Research in partnership with scientists from the Tongji University in China.
The team at Volkswagen has an eye towards the future; they are looking well beyond the internal combustion engine and fossil fuels. With the mid-point of oil depletion possibly 10 to 20 years away (according to the German Institute for Geosciences and Raw Materials), VW is looking to develop cars that don’t require traditional fuel sources. Their Fuel and Powertrain strategy encompasses the traditional sources like oil and diesel, natural gas and renewable like electric and hydrogen fuel cell cars. The VW team is determined to have one foot in as many doors as possible, so they can kick start new development with whatever technology proves to be the most efficient.
We had the unique opportunity to take a drive in one of VW’s future powertrain technologies, the hydrogen fuel cell. This technology was used in VW’s Passat model, which was first used in the Olympic games in Beijing.
At first glance there is nothing about the Passat Lingyu that indicates the emerging technology within, and that’s a good thing. Consumers want cutting age technology in their cars, but they don’t need them to look like rejects from a Sci-Fi series.
The first thing you notice about the Passat Lingyu is that the car is very quiet. Standing next to a fleet of Passat’s sounds like the runway at an airport; a kind of whistling of air from the engine. The car delivers a smooth ride, is comfortable and attractive.
The only real negative here is that this technology is still years away from retail deployment, so don’t expect to drive one of these yourself for at least five years or more.
In case you are wondering how this technology in the Passat Lingyu works, we have a breakdown from the technicians at VW:
The hydrogen fuel cells are located in the car floor of the Passat Lingyu. The fuel cell system develops a peak power of 55 kW. The energy obtained by converting hydrogen (H) into water (H2O) is fed into a lithium-ion battery. It is located under the rear bench seat and has a capacity of eight Ampere-hours (Ah) at 376 Volt (V). In quick acceleration, the lithium-ion battery plays a supportive role. When the 87 mph (140 km/h) fast Passat Lingyu is braked, on the other hand, energy flows back into the battery. The hydrogen gas (total of 3,2 kilograms) is transported in a carbon fiber reinforced pressure tank (350 bar).
Currently there are 22 Hydrogen stations and over 130 Fuel Cell vehicles all operating in California.