Volkswagen brought a trio of fuel-cell prototypes to the recent Los Angeles Auto Show to show their research into hydrogen fuel systems. These three fuel-cell vehicles produce zero emissions and were available for writers, industry experts and other attendees to test drive. The Tiguan Hymotion, the Touran and the Passat Lingyu represent Volkswagen’s take on alternative fuels, namely its belief that hydrogen stands as the best alternative to gasoline.
The Tiguan Hymotion SUV seemed to draw the greatest interest from viewers at the LA Auto Show for good reason. Volkswagen unveiled an innovative high-temperature fuel cell stack that can operate in greater heat without sacrifice performance or safety. The Tiguan Hymotion’s hydrogen stack requires 30% less space than low-temperature stacks while working in temperatures up to 120 degrees Celsius. While Volkswagen was using the Tiguan prototype to demonstrate this new technology, the performance statistics make this SUV sound promising for motorists worldwide. The automaker says that the Tiguan Hymotion can reach 87 miles per hour with a hydrogen reserve capable of powering the vehicle up to 125 miles. The 22 kWh lithium ion battery is connected to a regenerative braking system to ensure constant charging during operation.
Another SUV in Volkswagen’s hydrogen fold is the Touran. The Touran has a smaller electrical motor than the Tiguan Hymotion and uses a 1.9 kWh nickel metal hydride battery in a nod to how long this smaller SUV has been in development. Volkswagen has already begun putting the Tiguan and Touran through the ringer. The California Fuel Cell Partnership is coordinating with Volkswagen’s researchers to test out prototypes for fuel efficiency as well as performance. Volkswagen has gone as far as funding hydrogen filling stations in Hamburg and Berlin to demonstrate the infrastructure needed ahead of distribution.
Volkswagen showed its latest collaboration with Tongji University in Shanghai in Los Angeles through the Passat Lingyu. The Passat Lingyu was featured as a demonstration vehicle during the 2008 Beijing Olympics and represents the four generation of hydrogen cells created by the university. The Lingyu sedan uses half the fuel cell stack as the Tiguan Hymotion but performs well using a lithium-ion battery. The use of 20 Passat Lingyus during the recent Olympics shows that this vehicle is the closest to production once a hydrogen infrastructure is developed.
