Simulated Performance of Solid Polymer Electrolyte Fuel-Cell-Powered Vehicles

Fuel cells offer a number of attractive features as alternate power sources for transportation applications. Potential advantages include high efficiency, good performance operation on nonpetroleum fuel and negligible pollution.

General Electric (GE) assessed solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) fuel cells specifically for automotive applications. The results of this assessment are used to calculate the performance and fuel consumption of the GM X Car and of the GE Chrysler Electric Test Vehicle 1 (ETV-1). The X car was calculated to have good performance, negligible emission, and substantially reduced energy consumption. The calculated performance of the ETV-1 with an SPE fuel cell is comparable to that of a present day, small gasoline-powered passenger car. In addition, the calculated fuel consumption is 33 mpg of methanol, equivalent to 66 mpg of gasoline on an engery basis.