Fuel Cell Cargo Pedelec with Fast-start Capabilities

Abstract

The increase in urban traffic among others due to delivery services is one of the major contributors to CO2 emissions and overall air pollution, which is why the European Commission's White Book demands emission-free city logistics until 2050. The DLR investigated the potential of cargo pedelecs in urban traffic and developed a hydrogen-based range extender for integration in cargo pedelecs. One of the results of the Fuel Cell Cargo Pedelec (FCCP) project is the so-called Energy Box, which can be integrated into existing cargo pedelecs. An innovation of the system is the first-in-time integration of a metal-hydride-based preheater, which enables fast-start capabilities and adds cold-start capabilities down to -20°C. Conducted experiments prove fast start-up times of the fuel cell and therefore better reliability of the system as a whole. The results provide a strong foundation for further development and advancements of cargo pedelecs and hydrogen-based drivetrains.