Development of a PEM Fuel Cell System for Vehicular Application

Allison Gas Turbine Division of General Motors is performing the first phase of a multiphase development project aimed at demonstrating an electric vehicle based on a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. This work is sponsored by the Office of Transportation Technologies of the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) through the DoE's Chicago Field Office (Contract No. DE-AC02-90CH10435). This work complements major efforts under way to produce electric vehicles for reducing pollution in key urban areas. Battery powered vehicles will initially satisfy niche markets where limited range vehicles can meet commuter needs. The PEM fuel cell/battery hybrid using methanol as fuel potentially offers an extremely attractive option to increasing the range, payload, and/or performance of battery powered vehicles. This type vehicle potentially offers very high thermal efficiency; extremely low regulated emissions (NO_x, CO, HC, particulates); and approximately one-half the CO₂ produced by current vehicles.

The initial phase of this PEM project is designed to produce a 10 kW power plant system including fuel cell, reformer, control system, and ancillaries that will prove feasibility for vehicular application.