Basing their extended-range electric QBEAK around a bio-methanol-utilizing fuel cell, a consortium of Danish companies working on the Modular Energy Carrier concept (MECc) has just received government funding to develop a low-cost, high-efficiency car.

Yes, without specifying projected price, the group boldly states the range-extended version of the electric car will overcome several objections surrounding EV acceptance today by offering affordable range up to 500 miles and potentially gas-pump-quick refueling time.

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The methanol fuel can be derived from either biomass or waste products such as glycerin. The methanol/water mix is said to be as simple to transport as other fuels.

The all-electric version of the ECOmove QBEAK is due this fall and the extended-range project is being managed by Insero E-Mobility .

The modular car will incorporate a High Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (HTPEM) fuel cell system developed by Serenergy – the first commercially available, low pressure, air-cooled HTPEM fuel cell system in the world.

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The chassis has six "energy slots." These can accept either a battery, a fuel cell, or a methanol tank. The range-extended version will have a 2.5-kw fuel cell and tank in two slots, but more fuel cells plus tank modules can be added for longer range.

Promised benefits for this “game changer in the e-mobility industry” also include minimal pollution from emissions and potential use of existing infrastructure to refuel the vehicle like you would a regular petrol car in under three minutes.

“ECOmove has re-thought the e-car concept from scratch and they have developed an innovative means of transport setting new standards for design, usability and sustainability,” says the company. “Serenergy’s full cell products offer simple and cost-effective air-cooled fuel cell technology with high fuel flexibility and reliable fuel cell operation under extreme temperature conditions.”

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The hatchback city car is quite diminutive at 9.7 feet X, 5.7 feet X 5.4 feet (3m x 1.75m x 1.63m), but offers excellent space utilization and capability to seat as many as six people entering via one of two sliding doors on either side. EV range for the non-range-extended model using six energy modules of 4.7 kwh each is 186 miles (300 km). Top speed from two in-wheel motors – 35.4 kw each, a total of 70.8 kw peak – is up to 75 mph (120 kph). The bare vehicle without energy modules weighs just 937 pounds (425 kg).

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Modular batteries can be added to adjust range up to 186 miles without a range extending fuel cell.

Waste heat from the fuel cell stack will be used for cabin heating or cooling, says ECOmove, and longer life for the batteries is also promised due to a more stable state of charge.

The consortium has already introduced a small EcoMotion fuel-cell truck to market, and the QBEAK people mover will be a “voluntary plug in.” This means energy can come from plugging into the grid during off-peak hours, or when convenience is wanted, it can be quickly topped off with renewable bio-methanol.

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Bio-methanol is said to already have good availability, and it’s been estimated an existing fuel pump can be converted to dispense it for around $18,400 (€15,000). Methanol is also considered less bio-hazardous than petrochemicals if it's spilled.

Funding is coming via the Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program ( EDDP ), which supports technological development intended to make Denmark independent of fossil fuels by 2050.

 

For more info, be sure to click on the relevant links provided.

ECOmove press release , plugineurope.com

 

I always thought that a center driving position would result in a true world car. I wonder if Denmark is large enough to become not only fossil fuel independent but energy import free. In other words, they may be just changing dependencies.

 

Denmark is the biggest "greenback" in European union. They have largest share in national power mix of wind power in the world and they actually are the ones who started "green" power generation concept They have lot of biomas, biogas and photovoltaic. They have not 100% of sustainable power like Norway but this 5 mln country power generation has very limited share of conventional power sources. And they have lot of big neighbors to import power from.

 

I think a battery/fuel cell range extender in some form is likely the next advance after the Volt configuration. This is much more interesting to read about than just another hybrid, EREV supercar I can't afford.

 

I'm not a fan of this car's body-design (what's the Cd?), or really the car in general, but I am interested in the fuel cell technology. Is this something that could be adapted for the Volt?

 

A 2.5 kW range extender is a bit lame, but it is a start. And from what I have read, HTPEM's cost less than half what a normal fuel cell costs so maybe this is doable. I like the QBEAK concept, it isn't going to sell in huge numbers to start but it could be a way to crack the market open, so to speak.
They also claim to have "introduced a small EcoMotion fuel-cell truck to market", but I can't find any reports of sales of said truck. Anyone read anything about sales? I would really like to find out if this thing is fuel cell expensive or if it is real world affordable. Fuel cells have always been elegant, they just have never been affordable or had an infrastructure to support them. Maybe HTPEM's can solve half of the problems.

 

You know I have to comment of this one!

The Volt’s average power use in EV mode according the EPA is 98 MPGe or 2.93 KW/mile (1 Gallon Gas = 33.41KW). Thus you would need roughly two of these fuel cells (and a large battery buffer) to meet the Volt’s average power requirements. (i.e., a 5 KWh generator).
Of note, the Volt has a 55 KW generator. To generate this kind of peak power, you would need 22 of the Serenergy 2.5 KWh High Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (HTPEM) fuel cells. The good new is you don’t need that kind of peak output if you use the fuel cell to maintain a large battery buffer. You could get by with more like a 16 KWh fuel cell. Thus a quick back of the napkin estimate is Serenergy would need to scale up their HTPEM fuel cell by a factor of ~6.5 to be useful in a vehicle with the size and performance of the Volt.

 

kdawg :
I’m not a fan of this car’s body-design (what’s the Cd?), or really the car in general, but I am interested in the fuel cell technology.Is this something that could be adapted for the Volt?
I agree. The fuel cell is more efficient than any combustion engine because it doesn't waste fuel energy as excess heat (burning) and there is no mechanical conversion, so there is more real energy available as electricity with less fuel. The use of fuel cells and renewable fuel is the key to total energy independence and higher MPGs for EREVs like the Volt and the Karma.

This is one topic that GM and everyone here should follow for the coming years. If a new global conflict happens, we will suffer gasoline and Diesel rationing (my grandparents did so during WWII), and only those vehicles that can use renewable sources of energy will be running.

Raymond

 

The Nissan Leaf looks stylish compared with the QBEAK concept.

 

Methanol fuel cells have been lurking near the edges of viability for over a decade; seems like there has always been a show-stopper kicking it back into the shadows. A persistent problem has been the tendency towards "coking;" the accumulation of carbon at the electrolyte from the alcohol molecule being broken down. The ideal situation would be the formation of gaseous CO2 instead (for those who think this is "green"). The "High Temperature" in HTPEM may reflect a solution to this; the higher the temperature (theoretically), the more effectively the molecule would be broken down. Or not. Or maybe something else will crop up. Or not.

Modularized car design has also been a concept chestnut for awhile; even GM had it's "skateboard" approach. Real cars tend to have more complex realities than can be addressed by such "elegant simplicity." It does play well at an auto show, however.

In addition, the fugly appearance seems to confirm (if not scream) "Concept Car." Apparently, it is impossible to conceive of a little "green" car without far-out design (or a whipping session with the Ugly Stick).

In other words, it's not April 1st, and it's on the Internet, so it must be true!

Just in case this car is on the level, one only has to look at the particulars to realize that it is mainly intended to compete in the "city car" niche with pure BEVs. Though technically an EREV, this is nowhere near being comparable to the Volt, and would be impractical for general use in a Country the size of the US. To work here, this concept would have to scaled up to such an extent that it's "affordability" would quckly become comparable with other approaches, IMO. There are only so many ways to skin a cat.

Once EV-friendly infrastructure appears, a Volt-like approach would be a good way to 'bridge' to fuel cells (in much the same way that it bridges from gasoline infrastructure to electric today). However, it should be noted that GM is very heavily invested in hydrogen fuel cells (which would require far more elaborate delivery/storage infrastructure than either gasoline or methanol). Those at GM most committed to these fuel cells are in enmity with the EV/Volt philosophy (despite their similarities). When Bob Lutz left GM, he admitted to us that it was very difficult to get permission to build the Volt in the first place (especially since the fuel cell would be "ready within 5 years"; yeah, right).

Regrettably, in the specific area of fuel-cell/EREV design, others are more likely to lead and GM to follow because of this internecine squabbling.

 

Raymondjram : I agree. The fuel cell is more efficient than any combustion engine because it doesn’t waste fuel energy as excess heat (burning) and there is no mechanical conversion, so there is more real energy available as electricity with less fuel.The use of fuel cells and renewable fuel is the key to total energy independence and higher MPGs for EREVs like the Volt and the Karma.


This is one topic that GM and everyone here should follow for the coming years.If a new global conflict happens, we will suffer gasoline and Diesel rationing (my grandparents did so during WWII), and only those vehicles that can use renewable sources of energy will be running.


Raymond
Sure it generates heat. Any process that is less that 100% efficient generates heat (and all processes are less than 100% efficient..). But less heat than an ICE because it is more efficient.

From the article above: "Waste heat from the fuel cell stack will be used for cabin heating or cooling, says ECOmove."

Fuel to electrical energy conversions will generally not pass 60% efficiency, and even achieving that needs combined cycle plants ect. ICE's peak around 38% going from fuel to mechanical, then still needs the conversion to electrical. I am not sure where exactly fuel cells are but they are on the higher end.

 

Good to hear fuel cell development ... I feel that is the way to go eventually... but the car has to be useful... this is too small.

 

I believe Bio-methanol will never come to market because it can be made at home for little or no cost it will break the oil companies and therefore can not be allowed.
Tom

 

Tom :
I believe Bio-methanol will never come to market because it can be made at home for little or no cost it will break the oil companies and therefore can not be allowed. Tom

Don't worry. Methanol (and Hydrogen, come to that) can be made economically from fossil hydrocarbons. The methanol produces CO2 at the point of use, and the most economic ways to produce hydrogen (from natural gas, coal and oil) produce CO2 at the point of production: however, these technologies have strong "green cred" with the public. Big Oil might pursue them just to help whitewash their image. I doubt home manufacture of either fuel will be able to compete with these processes carried out on an industrial scale.

The Oil Companies will be just fine.

Only EVs really threaten them, since the source of energy would be coming from source-diverse power companies instead of from petroleum products directly. I believe this fear was the root cause of much negative press the Volt suffered a few months ago.

 

And where is this "good availability" of "bio-methanol" at the moment , pray tell?

I won't be trading in my Volt any time soon, LOL.

 

Jackson : GM is very heavily invested in hydrogen fuel cells

Actually, GM could find itself comfortable in a Methanol fuel cell world, through improvements in this area:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methanol_reformer

Will they? Again, I think it depends on how successful other players are at establishing the Methanol-fuel economy. It's a pity, since this approach solves nearly all of Hydrogen's on-board storage, and infrastructure problems; and GM has leadership in both fuel cells and EREV architecture to draw upon in the development of such a car in the nearer term.

EREV and Fuel Cell factions at GM need to hold hands and sing "We are the world ... " ;-)

 

Jackson : Actually, GM could find itself comfortable in a Methanol fuel cell world, through improvements in this area:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methanol_reformer


Will they?Again, I think it depends on how successful other players are at establishing the Methanol-fuel economy.It’s a pity, since this approach solves nearly all of Hydrogen’s on-board storage, and infrastructure problems; and GM has leadership in both fuel cells and EREV architecture to draw upon in the development of such a car in the nearer term.


EREV and Fuel Cell factions at GM need to hold hands and sing “We are the world … ”
Could GM be working a surprise for the future? Maybe they do have a fuel cell and Voltec powered prototype running in some hidden lab. I have high hopes in seeing and driving another GM's technological breakthrough in the next ten years.

Raymond

 

Raymondjram : Maybe they do have a fuel cell and Voltec powered prototype running in some hidden lab.

I'm pretty sure they have all the parts and enough skunk works areas to get this done. The big question is how much?

Fuel cells are still very expensive and need very expensive fuel (Hydrogen) to run.

Even with a reformer on board (sounds pretty expensive), you're still cracking fossil fuel (for now) to make H2.

As for bio-fuels, the US isn't doing so hot with alcohol production. It takes fossil fuel (equipment, fertilizer, transport, etc.) to make energy-equivalent gallons of ethanol. Not an efficient process.

If you want to use methanol, just reform NG. It's way cheaper than using bio-mass.

 

It seems to me that a better future direction for EREVs would be to marry a high efficiency diesel engine/generator with the batteries. A diesel engine could run on fuel produced from waste biomass/oils, algae or traditional petroleum. It would be much lower cost than a fuel cell and still have the advantage of reducing fossil fuel usage when these greener methods of producing diesel fuel become more widely available. Both methanol and hydrogen have much larger obstacles to overcome, before they will be economical or practical. Corn ethanol is definitely not an intelligent next step, but other methods for producing ethanol from switch grass, or waste biomass may have a future as well.

 

For the future I vote for a fuel cell technology using methanol from natural gas as the range extender. Looks like it solves the important problems-at least for the U.S.A. I believe the high cost problem of fuel cells will be solved eventually.

 

They say cooking oil diesel exhaust smells like french fries, I wonder what methanol exhaust smells like?

 

Eco_Turbo :
They say cooking oil diesel exhaust smells like french fries, I wonder what methanol exhaust smells like?
Methanol is almost the same kind liquid as ethanol. Sometimes people get posinioned drinking instead of ethil alcohol the metil alcohol or in other words methanol. Methanol calorific value is lower therefore biger fuel tank would be necessary to cover the same distance. But in case FC would be adopted for methanol efficiency of energy transformation could be on average 50% instead average ICE efficiency not more than 25%(Prius).