Mercedes-Benz Fuel Cell

Mercedes-Benz have confirmed that they will be launching the first ever production fuel cell car.

The advent of fuel cell vehicles is potentially the biggest thing to hit motoring out of any of the namby pamby standard electric cars.

Electricity generated from hydrogen onboard the vehicle has many more advantages to regular plug in vehicles, namely they hardly have to be plugged in.

Refuelling is much more efficient as tanking up with the energy rich, super light fuel hydrogen is much quicker than a night on charge.

The hydrogen-electric hybrid incorporates a 35kw lithium-ion battery that charges an electric motor and Mercedes says the F-Cell version of the B-Class is comparable in performance to a 2.0-litre petrol car.

The electric motor produces 134bhp and 214lb-ft of torque whereas a 1.8-litre petrol B180 BlueEfficiency SE produces 114bhp and 114lb-ft of torque. It has a range of about 250 miles and delivers an equivalent fuel economy of 86.6mpg on the combined cycle.

The F-Cell B-Class's lithium-ion battery provides back-up power to the electric motor and also has KERS style brakes to recharge the battery. Because the fuel cell is stored in the floor the F-Cell B-Class's boot's capacity of 416 litres is the same as a regular B-class.

Mercedes said:

“The B-Class F-cell is taking on a pioneering role as the world's first fuel cell powered automobile to be produced under series production conditions.”

The one problem facing this model is the same as that facing the electric car. The infrastructure! Although some states in the US are fitting many stations with hydrogen until is becomes widespread they still remain unfeasible.

E. Dooley

03/09/2009