Fuel Cell Hybrid Technology

We all know how much cars, Lorries and in general the present combustion engines used by vehicles pollute the environment whilst contributing to the rapid depletion of world reserves of crude oil.

It would appear that electricity driven engine which is by far more environment friendly will replace the combustion engines. Fuel cell hybrid seems to be the wining technology for the time being. The main drawbacks today are the relatively slow acceleration of the electric motors; the distance the vehicle can run without having to be recharged and most importantly the cost of the electric power system.

Toyota seems to be progressing with the dual gasoline and fuel cell hybrid.For the 7th consecutive years they have been earned top rating environmental awards. More developments will happen sooner than later. The pressure on the environment and the impact on the global warming will surely push to use of cleaner fuel and means much faster now.

How does Fuel Cell Hybrid works? Vectrix a scooter driven by this technology on its website gives some insights in the principle.

The fuel cell hybrid maxi-scooter features a fully-integrated 500-watt Protonex NGenTM fuel cell system that continuously charges the battery pack, which in turn provides power to drive the motor. The fuel cell shuts off automatically when the battery pack is fully charged.

The hybrid configuration uses the best aspects of battery and fuel cell technologies. The battery pack provides the quick bursts of energy for accelerating or climbing steep hills, while the fuel cell provides a constant trickle charge to help extend range and keep the batteries topped up. The patented throttle activated regenerative braking system (DAaRTâ„¢) further extends the range by directing energy back into the battery during braking.

I am on the watchout for the latest on the subject. I would wish to try out one of the Vectrix scooters sold today for USD 15000.