Nissan e-Bio Fuel-Cell
Nissan has unveiled the world's first
solid-oxide fuel cell vehicle ahead of the Rio Olympics which the Japanese firm
is helping to sponsor.
The advanced prototype, dubbed the e-Bio
Fuel-Cell, is the latest development in Nissan's push for new and innovative
zero-emission vehicles and promises an exceptionally long range while running
on multiple fuels, including ethanol and natural gas.
When running on 100 per cent ethanol,
the Nissan e-Bio Fuel-Cell prototype can travel over 600 km on a
single charge thanks to its 24kWh battery pack. As public tests of the car
continue throughout Brazil, improvements to the car could see that range figure
increase.
As the car runs purely on ethanol or
ethanol-blended water, its carbon emissions are as clean as the atmosphere.
Such a vehicle could prove particularly popular in countries throughout North
and South America were bio-ethanol fuels made from sugarcane and corn are
easily available.
Unlike an electric vehicle, the car doesn't
need to rely on charging stations and could be fuelled up from small retail
stores.
Discussing the car, Nissan president and
chief executive Carlos Ghosn said “The e-Bio Fuel-Cell offers eco-friendly
transportation and creates opportunities for regional energy production…all the
while supporting the existing infrastructure. In the future, the e-Bio
Fuel-Cell will become even more user-friendly. Ethanol-blended water is easier
and safer to handle than most other fuels. Without the need to create new infrastructure,
it has great potential to drive market growth.”
