scholarly journals Electric Mobility in Portugal: Current Situation and Forecasts for Fuel Cell Vehicles

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (23) ◽  
pp. 7945
Author(s):  
Guido Ala ◽  
Ilhami Colak ◽  
Gabriella Di Filippo ◽  
Rosario Miceli ◽  
Pietro Romano ◽  
...  

In recent years, the growing concern for air quality has led to the development of sustainable vehicles to replace conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Currently, the most widespread technology in Europe and Portugal is that of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) or plug-in HEV (PHEV) electric cars, but hydrogen-based transport has also shown significant growth in the commercialization of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) and in the development of new infrastructural schemes. In the current panorama of EV, particular attention should be paid to hydrogen technology, i.e., FCEVs, which is potentially a valid alternative to BEVs and can also be hybrid (FCHEV) and plug-in hybrid (FCPHEV). Several sources cited show a positive trend of hydrogen in the transport sector, identifying a growing trend in the expansion of hydrogen infrastructure, although at this time, it is still at an early stage of development. At the moment, the cost of building the infrastructure is still high, but on the basis of medium/long-term scenarios it is clear that investments in hydrogen refueling stations will be profitable if the number of Fuel Cell vehicles increases. Conversely, the Fuel Cell vehicle market is hampered if there is no adequate infrastructure for hydrogen development. The opportunity to use Fuel Cells to store electrical energy is quite fascinating and bypasses some obstacles encountered with BEVs. The advantages are clear, since the charging times are reduced, compared to charging from an electric charging post, and the long-distance voyage is made easier, as the autonomy is much larger, i.e., the psycho-sociological anxiety is avoided. Therefore, the first part of the paper provides an overview of the current state of electric mobility in Portugal and the strategies adopted by the country. This is necessary to have a clear vision of how a new technology is accepted by the population and develops on the territory, that is the propensity of citizens to technological change. Subsequently, using current data on EV development and comparing information from recent years, this work aims to investigate the future prospects of FCEVs in Portugal by adopting a dynamic model called SERA (Scenario Evaluation and Regionalization Analysis), with which it is possible to identify the Portuguese districts and cities where an FC charging infrastructure is expected to be most beneficial. From the results obtained, the districts of Lisbon, Porto and Aveiro seem to be the most interested in adopting FC technology. This analysis aims to ensure a measured view of the credible development of this market segment.

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 5843 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivier Bethoux

Driven by a small number of niche markets and several decades of application research, fuel cell systems (FCS) are gradually reaching maturity, to the point where many players are questioning the interest and intensity of its deployment in the transport sector in general. This article aims to shed light on this debate from the road transport perspective. It focuses on the description of the fuel cell vehicle (FCV) in order to understand its assets, limitations and current paths of progress. These vehicles are basically hybrid systems combining a fuel cell and a lithium-ion battery, and different architectures are emerging among manufacturers, who adopt very different levels of hybridization. The main opportunity of Fuel Cell Vehicles is clearly their design versatility based on the decoupling of the choice of the number of Fuel Cell modules and hydrogen tanks. This enables manufacturers to meet various specifications using standard products. Upcoming developments will be in line with the crucial advantage of Fuel Cell Vehicles: intensive use in terms of driving range and load capacity. Over the next few decades, long-distance heavy-duty vehicles and fleets of taxis or delivery vehicles will develop based on range extender or mild hybrid architectures and enable the hydrogen sector to mature the technology from niche markets to a large-scale market.


2020 ◽  
Vol 155 ◽  
pp. 01001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilhelm Wiebe ◽  
Thomas v. Unwerth ◽  
Sven Schmitz

A promising alternative to fossil-fuelled vehicles are battery-powered vehicles and fuel cell (FC) vehicles. The major differences between fuel cell and battery-powered vehicles are the range and refuelling times of each vehicle type. With a hydrogen (Hed vehicles are the range and refuelling times of each vehicle type. With a hydrogen (H2) fuelling time of approx. 5 minutes it is possible to cover a distance of up to 800 km with a fuel cell vehicle. These properties make a fuel cell vehicle comparable to a fossil fuel powered vehicle. Furthermore, due to short fuelling times and long range capabilities, fuel cell vehicles are more suitable for long-distance, trucking and agriculture than battery-powered vehicles. The aim of current research is to increase the profitability of fuel cells by reducing costs and improving performance. To ensure a high performance of the fuel cell stack, more hydrogen is supplied to the stack than is needed for the reaction. Therefore, unused hydrogen is pumped back to the anode inlet of the FC-stack using a jet pump or a recirculation blower. In this study, the application of an electrochemical compressor or hydrogen pump (HP) for hydrogen recirculation is suggested. The hydrogen pump is an innovative H2 transport technology with the additional functions of compression and purification in the recirculation system. Hydrogen pumps are very efficient compared to mechanical compressors due to the almost isothermal conditions they operate under. Furthermore, due to the modular design, hydrogen compressors can utilize a minimal amount of space in vehicles.


It is proposed to evaluate the possibility of developing a fuel cell truck. The advantages and disadvantages of electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles are analyzed. Keywords fuel cell truck; lithium cells; electric vehicle rate estimation


Catalysts ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 393
Author(s):  
Zhemin Du ◽  
Congmin Liu ◽  
Junxiang Zhai ◽  
Xiuying Guo ◽  
Yalin Xiong ◽  
...  

Nowadays, we face a series of global challenges, including the growing depletion of fossil energy, environmental pollution, and global warming. The replacement of coal, petroleum, and natural gas by secondary energy resources is vital for sustainable development. Hydrogen (H2) energy is considered the ultimate energy in the 21st century because of its diverse sources, cleanliness, low carbon emission, flexibility, and high efficiency. H2 fuel cell vehicles are commonly the end-point application of H2 energy. Owing to their zero carbon emission, they are gradually replacing traditional vehicles powered by fossil fuel. As the H2 fuel cell vehicle industry rapidly develops, H2 fuel supply, especially H2 quality, attracts increasing attention. Compared with H2 for industrial use, the H2 purity requirements for fuel cells are not high. Still, the impurity content is strictly controlled since even a low amount of some impurities may irreversibly damage fuel cells’ performance and running life. This paper reviews different versions of current standards concerning H2 for fuel cell vehicles in China and abroad. Furthermore, we analyze the causes and developing trends for the changes in these standards in detail. On the other hand, according to characteristics of H2 for fuel cell vehicles, standard H2 purification technologies, such as pressure swing adsorption (PSA), membrane separation and metal hydride separation, were analyzed, and the latest research progress was reviewed.


2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Mourad

Because of their high efficiency and low emissions, fuel cell vehicles are undergoing extensive research and development. When considering the introduction of advanced vehicles, a complete evaluation must be performed to determine the potential impact of a technology on carbon dioxide (CO2) and greenhouse gases emissions. However, the reduction of CO2 emission from the vehicle became the most important objective for all researches institutes of vehicle technologies worldwide. There interest recently to find unconventional methods to reduce greenhouse gas emission from vehicle to keep the environment clean. This paper offers an overview and simulation study to fuel cell vehicles, with the aim of introducing their main advantages and evaluates their influence on emissions of carbon dioxide from fuel cell vehicle and compares advanced propulsion technologies on a well-to-wheel energy basis by using current technology for conventional and fuel cell. The results indicate that the use of fuel cells, and especially fuel cells that consume hydrogen, provide a good attempt for enhancing environment quality and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Moreover, the emission reduction percentage of fuel cell vehicle reaches to 64% comparing to the conventional vehicle. Keywords: Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle, Performance, Simulation, Driving Cycle, CO2 Emissions, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Fuel Consumption.


Author(s):  
Mingruo Hu

Abstract Potentially large amount of hydrogen resource in China could theoretically supply 100 × 106 fuel cell passenger cars yearly. The Chinese government highly values the hydrogen and fuel cell technology. Policies and plans have been put forward densely in the recent five years. Numerous companies, research institutes, and universities are developing proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)-related technologies. A preliminary local supplier chain of fuel cell-related technology has been formed. However, the lifetime is still a key issue for the fuel cell technology. More than 3500 fuel cell range extender electric vehicles were manufactured during 2016 and 2018, and at the beginning of 2019, there have been more than 40 hydrogen refueling stations including both under operation and under construction. It is estimated the number of fuel cell-based electric vehicles will reach 36,000 by the end of 2020; therefore, lack of hydrogen refueling station has become a key restriction for development of the fuel cell vehicle industry.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen Jingrui

In the most recent period, gasoline and diesel are still the main energy sources of the car. The new energy vehicles need to be solved in the near future. The new medium of the internal combustion engine and the alternative combustion vehicles. The medium-term scheme is to reduce the fuel consumption and emissions of the hybrid vehicles. The program is pure electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles. While new energy vehicles offer a wide range of alternative fuels for fuel-based fuels, hybrid vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles that use fuel and power systems for automotive hydrogen fuel cells, but because of the current level of technological development, search for a wide range of alternative fuels, the development of closer to the market of hybrid technology, is the development of alternative energy is the most practical step. And pure electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cells because of its technology is still difficult to achieve a revolutionary breakthrough, it is difficult to become the automotive industry's recent development goals. In today's social situation, the hybrid can be a better solution to fuel consumption problems and pollution problems. It will mainly introduce the advantages and feasibility of hybrid.


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