Recent Advances in Cold-Start and Drive Capability of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle

The sub-zero cold is a major environmental consideration for the operational readiness of FCEVs because fuel cells produce water and utilize wet air with varying water content to generate electricity. Typical fuel cells thus have a fatal flaw in freezing conditions at startup. This drawback becomes more serious with the outsourced fuel cell that is entirely water-based for its internal humidification. In this background, the HMC's self-designed fuel cell was developed as an alternative and was employed in the Tucson-based FCEV in 2006 demonstrating its good cold-startup characteristics. The cold-startup capacity of the vehicle was validated through tests in the cold chamber and on the road, resulting in 50% stack power achieved in 250 seconds at $-15^{\circ}C$.