In October 2020, India’s first Hydrogen Fuel Cell (HFC) electric hybrid car successfully completed its maiden test run in Pune.
- This indigenously developed technology was a collaborative effort between scientists from two Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) labs – National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune and Central Electro Chemical Research Institute (CECRI), Karaikudi along with KPIT, Pune.
- The fuel cell is a low temperature PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) type Fuel Cell that operates at 65-75 degree centigrade, which is suitable for vehicular applications.
- Hydrogen Fuel Cell (HFC) technology uses chemical reactions between hydrogen and oxygen (from air) to generate electrical energy, eliminating the use of fossil fuels.
- The fuel cell technology emits only water, thus cutting down the emission of harmful greenhouse gases along with other air pollutants.
- The technology is more suited for commercial vehicles (CV) such as buses and trucks.
- Battery electric buses/ trucks require a large battery to achieve the desired operating range. In comparison, HFC technology requires a much smaller battery for a very large operating range.
- Maintenance of this hybrid vehicle will be required only once in five years,
(Source: Indian Express and The Mint)
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