The Fuel Cell Future

The use of renewable hydrogen as a fuel is a key part of Opel’s mission for a net-zero future, particularly for business mobility such as LCVs or taxis. Fuel cells are commercially important – essential when time is money – they can be refuelled in three minutes and immediately offer long range.  Fuel cells will be one part of an emission-free future, as pure battery-electric will remain more appropriate for other mobility needs, such as private vehicles.

What is a Fuel Cell?

A single fuel cell consists of an electrolyte membrane, a negative and a positive electrode as well as two separators. It’s very small, and on its own only produces about one volt – less than a household AA battery. For vehicles, hundreds of fuel cells are combined into a single unit, called the fuel cell stack, providing enough power for propulsion. Fuel cells are not only found in vehicles but also in stationary use supplying heat and electricity.

How does a Fuel Cell drive work?

The fuel cell turns hydrogen from the tank and oxygen from air into electricity used to drive the electric motor and charge the battery for additional power when needed. 

Pure Power

Fuel Cell Performance

Since hydrogen is used and stored in different states, such as liquid and gases, it’s usually measured in kg. One kg of hydrogen contains three times the energy of petrol or diesel but produces no CO2 when used. In the Vivaro Electric HYDROGEN, the fuel cell itself produces 45 kW of power and works in concert with the 100 kW electric drive and the 10.5 kWh lithium-ion battery for smooth, immediate power and long range. 

Cold Combustion

Cold combustion is a term sometimes used to describe fuel cell operation, even though it isn’t really combustion at all. Nothing is burned in a fuel cell, and even if you were to burn hydrogen it wouldn’t produce any smoke or fumes. Cold combustion is when oxygen taken from the surrounding air is combined with hydrogen inside the fuel cell in a chemical reaction (at 80° C), producing electricity. 

Hydrogen for Tomorrow

Stable Energy Storage

One of the great advantages of hydrogen is that it keeps energy almost indefinitely. A pure battery-electric vehicle stores its energy as a charge, which degrades over time, but a Fuel Cell vehicle stores energy in molecules of hydrogen. This stable and long-lasting way of preserving energy is a big part of what makes hydrogen infrastructure and transport so useful. As long as the valves and seals of a Fuel Cell vehicle keep hydrogen in its tanks, it will have energy ready to go. 

Developing the Fuel Cell

Stellantis and Opel have been leaders in FCEV research and development for decades, from system modelling and development, storage, safety and refuelling up to building vehicles and operating fleets. The HydroGen1, Opel’s first FCEV based on the Opel Zafira, debuted in 2000 as a proof-of-concept. From 2008 onwards, Opel demonstrated with a fleet of Opel HydroGen4 vehicles the capabilities of hydrogen technology as part of the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP), a multi-stakeholder demonstration project supported by the German government. The knowledge gained from the HydroGen project serves as the basis for ongoing development, most recently with the full commercial viability of the Vivaro Electric HYDROGEN. 

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Drive Features

What is Hydrogen Drive?

The fuel cell turns hydrogen from the tank of the vehicle and oxygen from the surrounding air into electricity used to drive the electric motor and charge the battery for additional power when needed.

Pressurised Hydrogen Tanks

One of the major advances pioneered by Opel was the development of 700 bar pressurised hydrogen tanks. It allowed sufficient hydrogen to be stored as a gas at normal temperatures, rather than needing to be refrigerated. This means hydrogen in the tanks won’t expand and evaporate away, enabling vehicles to be parked for long periods without degradation of range. Opel built and operated the world’s first FCEV with 700 bar compressed hydrogen storage technology in 2002, the HydroGen3. Today, all car manufacturers use this technology.

Hydrogen Safety

The Opel Vivaro Electric HYDROGEN stores hydrogen at 700 bar operating pressure in carbon-fibre tanks installed underneath the cargo space. These tanks are extremely robust, designed by Opel to withstand massive impacts and certified by the German TÜV. Opel’s safety systems are extensive, including hydrogen sensors that automatically close engine and tank valves and switch off the vehicle in the unlikely event of any hydrogen leaks.

Fuel Cells : Frequently Asked Questions

 

Where is the fuel cell located in the Vivaro Electric HYDROGEN?

In the engine compartment, perfectly integrated with the existing electric drive of the Vivaro Electric.
 

Where are the Vivaro Electric HYDROGEN tanks located?

The three 700 bar tanks are installed underneath the cargo space in the underbody where in the battery-electric Vivaro Electric the traction battery is located.
 

What are the advantages of a hydrogen LCV?

The Vivaro Electric HYDROGEN offers locally zero emissions, long range, 3 minutes refuelling time and the full cargo space (same as the internal combustion engine version).
 

Is there any external equipment required to operate a hydrogen LCV?

No. You can refuel the Opel Vivaro Electric HYDROGEN in 3 minutes with hydrogen or plug in the on-board battery for a direct charge if you want to top-up between trips.
 

What’s the power output of the Vivaro Electric HYDROGEN Fuel Cell?

45 kW.
 

What’s the capacity of the Vivaro Electric HYDROGEN battery?

10.5 kWh.
 

What’s the pure battery-electric range of the Vivaro Electric HYDROGEN?

Purely battery-electric range is up to 50 km.