Hybrids to hydrogen

In the not too distant future diesel-hybrid cars and commercial vehicles will be available.

PSA Peugeot Citroen says by 2010 the cost of diesel-hybrid technology, although already proven for reliability, will be available once the cost of components has reached affordable levels. After that we will see the introduction of fuel-cell powered passenger and commercial vehicles and the most common form of power looks likely to be hydrogen.

This fuel is ideally suited for use in emission free zones as only water vapour is emitted from the vehicles exhaust system.

Most major car manufacturers are up and running with the use of hydrogen as a fuel which can be used in modified petrol engines but one of the leaders BMW estimate it will take between 10 and 15 years for this technology to become available to the general public.

The reason, there is no legislation in place to set the standards required for manufacturing hydrogen using vehicles or the criteria set for hydrogen fuel to be supplied for general use.

However in other countries outside the EU hydrogen fuelled vehicles are much closer to reality. For the 2008 Beijing Olympics up to 3,000 passenger cars and 100 buses are to run on hydrogen and for the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai the plan is to deploy 1,000 taxis or buses, all hydrogen powered.

In California they will have a Hydrogen Highway in place by 2010 with a network for 150 to 200 hydrogen fuel stations spaced every 20 miles on major highways throughout the state.

BMW takes the future use of hydrogen as a fuel seriously. They are partnering with fuel companies in setting up liquid hydrogen fuelling stations in the USA and Europe.

Drivers of liquid hydrogen-powered vehicles in Germany can now fill up at five stations, two in Berlin, two in Munich and one in Frankfurt.

An additional hydrogen fuelling station is under construction in Brussels, the home of the European union and in the UK there is a source of this fuel at Wembley, London. Two more outlets are expected in London next year.

As part of the public education programme as to the benefits of hydrogen as an alternative fuel for petrol type combustion engines, BMW is doing more than most.

Their ‘Clean Energy’ initiative came to the UK this week at the annual SMMT Test Day held a the Millbrook Proving Ground. The event is held so that motoring journalists can test and drive the latest in passenger car automotive technology and this year hydrogen power was on the agenda and BMW debuted their Hydrogen 7 cars.

BMW in the UK has taken delivery off eight Hydrogen 7 cars, part of a total fleet of 100 such cars built by BMW in Germany to showcase their hydrogen power technology around the world.

The virtually emissions-free luxury saloons have been produced on the ‘standard’ 7 Series production line and will be used in normal day-to-day driving conditions in the UK.

Jim O’Donnell, BMW UK’s managing director, summed up this important step in BMW’s history: “The arrival of our Hydrogen 7 cars could not have come at a better time.

"Politicians, business leaders, the media and consumers are engaged in healthy debate on the future of energy supply and use.

"Meanwhile, the automotive industry is committed to cleaner motoring, with a host of possible solutions available today and being developed for the mid- and long-term. "

BMW is at the core of the future of motoring with tremendous developments in petrol and diesel engines, hybrid powertrains and hydrogen technologies.”

The fleet of liquid hydrogen powered cars is set to continue its programme of driving activities on UK roads. They will be in active service as support vehicles at a number of high profile events over the summer as well as transporting key participants at industrial, business and political conferences.

A select group of high-profile VIP users will also take delivery of a car for short periods of time in order to experience the ‘normality’ of emissions-free motoring.