BMW GROUP PRESENTS FIRST CAR WITH PETROL FUEL CELL FOR ON BOARD ELECTRICITY SUPPLY

After less than two years development time the BMW Group presents the first car
in the world whose on-board power is supplied by a petrol operated fuel cell
(SOFC). The new type of fuel cell battery can be used in every conventionally
operated automobile, reduces fuel consumption and permits a whole range of new
safety and comfort functions. The energy system, which was developed together
with Delphi Automotives, will feature in coming BMW model generation as the
so-called APU (Auxiliary Power Unit). The BMW Group is the world's leader in
the development of fuel cells APUs for on-board power supply. Several of the
small-series-production 750hL models are already equipped with such a fuel cell
APU featuring PEM (Polymer-Electrolyt-Membrane) technology.

SOFC fuel cell: effective, robust and reasonably priced:

The new fuel cell is a so-called "Solid Oxide Fuel Cell", SOFC in short. In
this solid fuel cell, hydrogen is converted into electricity at approx. 800°C
via zirconium oxide ceramics. In a start and a main reformer, petrol is
evaporated and hydrogen is split off also at 800°C operating temperature. The
hydrogen then reacts with the oxygen from the air which is supplied by a fan.
In the process electricity is generated and water is produced as a by-product.
Non-reacted residual gas is combusted. The heat produced in this way serves to
heat the air required for the reaction and the reformer which improves overall
efficiency even further.

It is not only this short process chain which makes the SOFC cell so ideally
suited for operation in conventionally powered petrol cars. Compared to the
currently generally favoured PEM fuel cell (polymer electrolyte membrane) the
SOFC is also a lot less sensitive to impurities which are produced in a petrol
reforming process since CO can also be converted into electricity and not only
hydrogen. In addition it does not require expensive precious metal electrodes.

Efficiency has been doubled compared to conventional concept:

The task of the SOFC fuel cell unit for BMW passenger car is to supply the
vehicle electrical system with electrical energy. This electrochemical
"powerplant" is to take over the function it does best: to generate electricity
with a high degree of efficiency - independent of the engine. The conversion
of petrol into electricity via SOFC fuel cell is almost twice as efficient as
the combination of engine, generator and battery. For driving the car itself,
the view held by BMW is that the internal combustion engine offers more
benefits.

The autonomous operation of the fuel cell APU makes possible new functions:
windows can be defrosted before getting in the car, seats and steering wheel
can be warmed. In high outside temperatures the air conditioning can be
operated optimally regardless of the engine speed. Air conditioning the car
with the engine off can already be carried out using a quarter of the energy
required today. With today's electrical consumers in a vehicle, approximated
one litre per 100 kilometres can be saved in city traffic. Future "by wire"
systems such as electrically operated steering or brakes require far more
electrical energy which can then be efficiently provided by the SOFC fuel cell.

The use of Internet and online services in the car and the "mobile office" are
facilitated considerably by fuel cell APU technology. The APU developed by BMW
is ideally suited for the new 2-voltage electrical system. Existing APU
vehicles not only supply the conventional 12V system, but also the newly
developed air conditioning system with 42 volts.

APU to be available in a few years: customer benefit with no compromises:

The BMW Group wants to offer the fuel cell APU and the benefits involved in
approximately five years. This means that BMW customers will be the first to
benefit from specific advantages of fuel cell technology without any
compromises involved. The aim of series development, which has already begun,
is to reduce the size and optimise the overall system even further. Output
will be approximately five kilowatts for which the reformer is already designed
today. The compact fuel cell battery will only require approximately the space
of a conventional lead battery in the future. However, the fuel cell surpasses
the power and "endurance" of the lead battery by far. In the long term the
fuel cell might even substitute the electric generator in the car. With the
APU a new era will begin for the automobile whose electrical power needs are
ever increasing.

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