BMW Group presents first car with gasoline fuel cell for on-board electricity supply

Munich, Germany, February 16, 2001... After less than two years development
time, the BMW Group presents the first car in the world whose on-board
electrical power is supplied by a gasoline 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 Automotive, will be featured in coming BMW model generations as the
so-called APU (Auxiliary Power Unit). The BMW Group is the world's leader in
the development of fuel cell APUs for on-board power supply. Several of the
small-series-production, hydrogen-powered 750hL models are already equipped
with such a fuel cell APU featuring PEM (Polymer-Electrolyte-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, gasoline 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 gasoline cars. Compared to the
currently generally favored PEM fuel cell (polymer electrolyte membrane) the
SOFC is also a lot less sensitive to impurities which are produced in a
gasoline 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 concepts.

The task of the SOFC fuel cell unit for BMW passenger cars 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
gasoline into electricity via SOFC fuel cell is almost twice as efficient as
the combination of engine, alternator 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 level of electrical consumption in a vehicle,
approximately one liter per 100 kilometers of fuel 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 12 V 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
approx. 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 optimize 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 approx. 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.

Contact:
Andreas Klugescheid
Tel: +49 89 382 25506