Fuel cell electric vehicles can be filled with hydrogen in a few minutes. Initially, this could be the decisive advantage for some public service buses and, over the course of the decade, also for selected cars, compared to battery-electric drives. In California, however, owners of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV for short) recently had to wait a long time to get hydrogen. One Toyota Mirai lined up next. Heise / Autos, on the other hand, had no problems with refueling with the Hyundai Nexo (test), for example. What happens here?

The reason for this difference is in addition to the low utilization in Germany that the gas stations in the most populous US state are completely out of date. Basically, the following applies: Similar to charging stations for battery-electric vehicles (abbreviated to BEV for Battery Electric Vehicle), the amount of energy that can be delivered per unit of time is a question of the technical design.

Plate heat exchangers deliver without interruption Specifically: The hydrogen (chemically H 2 ) becomes up to 350 cash in commercial vehicles and up to 700 cash compressed in car. Because this creates heat and the maximum temperature in the so-called type 4 tanks of the FCEV must not exceed 85 degrees, this must be Gas must be strongly cooled beforehand.

In order of relevance: the fuel cell cars Hyundai Nexo (actually available), Toyota Mirai I, Mercedes GLC F-Cell (discontinued) and Honda Clarity. Battery-electric drives will become dominant in passenger cars in this decade. It remains to be seen whether a small part of the fuel cell will also be powered by fuel cells.

(Image: H2 Mobility Germany)

At older systems do this in an aluminum cold block. If many H 2 vehicles fill up in a row, this system has a performance limit because it is not able to keep track of the cold enough. Frank Fronzke, technical manager at H2 Mobility Germany, explains how this problem was solved: “New systems with plate heat exchangers can deliver continuously,” says Fronzke. “50 the 90 petrol stations serviced by us in Germany and Austria are equipped with it. ”

Back-to-back- Ability Another limiting factor at H 2 – Petrol stations can be the compressor for the gas intermediate storage. If the performance is too tight, drivers have to be patient. In the industry, one speaks of back-to-back capability and means the number of vehicles that can refuel one after the other. In California, the inexpensive design is not adapted to the now high demand. That would be as if only one kW charging station were available for twelve Porsche Taycans on long-distance trips.

Toyota has presented the second generation of the Mirai. The shape is more pleasing. Toyota actually wanted to start a fuel cell offensive as the main sponsor of the Olympic Games. Maybe it will succeed this year.

(Image: Toyota)

In Germany the picture is reversed. Measured against the few hundred FCEV, there is an oversupply. In fact, with the Hyundai Nexo, only one fuel cell car is actually available at the moment. The Toyota Mirai II will have to wait a few months. There are still a few copies of the discontinued Mercedes GLC F-Cell in stock. These are joined by the test vehicles from the global automotive industry. And of course various commercial vehicles that have the best prospects in the medium term.

H 2 produce in the vicinity of the petrol station An important and well-known provider of system solutions for renewable energies is the north German company GP Joule. André Steinau is responsible for the Hydrogen Business Unit at GP Joule. In an interview with heise / Autos, he confirms that, similar to charging stations in public spaces, the design is crucial: “The operator of a system plans and invests for an expected demand,” says Steinau. The advantage of H 2 – petrol stations is that they can in principle be upgraded and scaled.