THE SLOW LANE - We all live fast lifestyles. Waiting 30 minutes for rapid charging, even with smart technology, potentially strains the grid, and also damages batteries. And super speed charging strains the grid unacceptably.

There are faster ways of refuelling an electric vehicle with hydrogen or battery cartridges, in just a couple of minutes using off-peak stored energy. Battery swapping could be the solution, provided that it is properly thought out and developed with collaboration from all concerned, interchangeably with hydrogen cartridge swapping.

H2020-JTI-FCH-2020-1 : FCH-01-1-2020 Hydrogen tanks for EV architectures

Specific Challenge:

It is expected that vehicle architectures will change significantly in the next few years due to major trends in the automotive industry: the increase of electro mobility based on battery technology, which demands flat design spaces in car underbodies and the increasing technology readiness level of autonomous driving, which causes significant vehicle transformations including use of car interiors.

Passengers will require space for free movement, which implies among other changes, body structures without central tunnel.

Today gasoline and diesel vehicles share the same installation spaces. Similarly, it would be extremely beneficial if hydrogen drive and battery systems could also share the same vehicle architecture.

The integration of both energy systems in the same car body would enable economies of scale, simplify and reduce engineering and manufacturing processes and allow flexible production, which could buffer demand fluctuations.

TECHNOLOGICAL ADAGE - It is the part of a wise man to keep himself today for tomorrow, and not to venture all his eggs in one basket. SMARTNET allows for change in technology. You don't have to bet on batteries or fuel cells. Include both in a diverse asset portfolio - and watch you egg hatch into a solution.

UNIVERSAL BATTERY CARTRIDGE FORMAT PROPOSAL - This cartridge format provides 0.24 of a meter cubic capacity. All of these formats can be used in multiples to provide up to 1.92 of a cubic meter capacity. This is one of a number of sizes that we will be evaluating as part of a study we hope to obtain funding for in relation to electric vehicle chassis design. The proposed cartridge is compatible with the SMARTNET services stations concept. The cartridge may be designed to accommodate cars and trucks. The 'Universal' format cartridge is intended to be compatible with hydrogen storage or battery storage. Cleaner Ocean Foundation is looking to either form a consortium to further the concept, or to join an existing consortium to include commonality for alternative proposals.

Due to the expected (above) changes in future car bodies, installation spaces designated for the integration of energy storage cannot be used efficiently with conventional type IV hydrogen cylinders tanks.

The major challenge today is the integration of hydrogen storage systems that fulfill customers’ autonomy range expectations. Development of novel and innovative tank concepts is therefore necessary, in order to be able to integrate hydrogen drive systems into after-2020, or future vehicles in the lead up to internal combustion engine bans from 2030.

The main challenge consists of packaging high pressure hydrogen storage vessels (which used to have cylindrical geometries in conventional pressure vessels) into a rectangular shape for battery spaces while complying with current type-approval regulations EC 79/2009 and UNECE Regulation No.134.

Finding a tank design concept while fulfilling requirements for certification as well as realizing a high storage volume for acceptable vehicle ranges is one of the main obstacles.

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:035:0032:0046:en:PDF

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2019.129.01.0043.01.ENG

EV REFUELLING COMPARISON - Where charging up a battery-powered car can take anything from half an hour to a whole night, you can refuel a hydrogen car in just five minutes using flexible hoses. But, you can also refuel a battery car in less time using cartridge exchange. Meaning that hydrogen loses out, if we take into account energy conversion losses. For this reason hydrogen is unlikely to achieve the same level of market penetration, without a means to work alongside battery vehicles, such that the choice for the buying public is not such a risk, as if putting all your eggs in one basket.

....

EUROPEAN AUTO MANUFACTURERS INCLUDE:

- Alfa Romeo

- Audi

- BMW

- Citroen

- Fiat

- Ford

- Lotus

- Mercedes

- Peugeot

- Renault

- Seat

- Smart

- Volkswagen

MAKES OF ELECTRIC TRUCKS

- DAF

- MAN

- Mercedes Benz

- Renault

- Volkswagen

- Volvo

MAKES OF ELECTRIC BUSES & COACHES

- BDY

- ASHOK LEYLAND

CANCER - Many of the compounds released during burning of hydrocarbons are associated with cancer and often cause short irritation of the respiratory tract and eyes. 

Motor vehicle emissions contribute to air pollution and are a major ingredient in the creation of smog in some large cities. A 2013 study by MIT indicates that 53,000 early deaths occur per year in the United States alone because of vehicle emissions. According to another study from the same university, traffic fumes alone cause the death of 5,000 people every year just in the United Kingdom.

SOME OF THE BIGGEST ELECTRICITY POWER COMPANIES A - Z

Duke Energy Corporation, DUK, N. Carolina, USA

Dominion Energy Inc., Richmond, Virginia

EDF Électricité de France SA

ENEL

Engie

E.ON

Exelon Corporation EXC, Chicago, USA

GE General Electric

Iberdrola

KEPCO Korean Electric Power Corporation

National Electric Grid & Central Electricity Authority (India)

National Energy Board (Canada)

National Grid plc (formerly Central Electricity Generating Board UK)

Next Era Energy Inc. Florida, USA
Scottish & Southern Energy

Southern Company, Atlanta, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, USA

State Grid Corporation of China

TEPCO Tokyo Electric Power Company

LINKS & REFERENCE

https://www.theengineer.co.uk/hydrogen-heavy-duty-trucks-lorries/
https://www.torquenews.com/1080/daihatsu-experimenting-hydrazine-fuel-cell-possibility

https://www.innovationplace.eu/fund/h2020-fch-01-3-2020-liquid-hydrogen-on-board-storage-tanks-/2400

https://www.enterprise-europe.co.uk/opportunities/RDUK20200320001

1921 - A chain driven electrically powered van in Buffalo, N.Y. It was called an automatic, because there was no gearbox. They were easier to drive and did not need starter handles that most women could not manage, hence this picture advertising a lady operator in high heels. Professor Ferdinand Porsche invented battery cartridge exchange in the early 1900s. This was for his electric cars. He also even invented the hybrid, where a petrol generator charged the onboard batteries that powered electric hub motors. 

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