CSIR conducts trials of India's first hydrogen fuel cell car

The Hydrogen Fuel Cell (HFC) prototype car has a range of 250 km.

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and KPIT have conducted a trial run of India's first Hydrogen Fuel Cell (HFC) prototype car.

CSIR and KPIT have developed a 10 kWe automotive grade LT-PEMFC fuel cell stack, which uses PEM fuel cell technology with a membrane electrode assembly. KPIT has developed its own lightweight metal bipolar plate and gasket design, balance of power (BoP), system integration, control software and electric powertrain.

The trials were run on a battery-electric platform that was retrofitted with the Fuel Cell Stack. The car was fitted with a Type III commercial hydrogen tank with a capacity of around 1.75 kg stored at about 350 bar. Running at speeds of 60-65 km/h, the car has a range of 250 km. The only emission from the fuel cell is water.

The technology is said to be more suitable for commercial vehicles, as battery electric buses and trucks require a large battery to achieve the desired operating range. The HFC technology requires a much smaller battery for a very large operating range.

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