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‹F.›: The GLC F-CELL is a globally unique plug-in hybrid. Why combine
fuel cell and battery technology in this way?
‹Mohrdieck›: We wanted to use the advantages of hybridization and not
have to decide between A and B. The battery has three advantages: we
are able to recuperate kinetic energy, additional thrust is available during
acceleration, and then there is the extended range I mentioned earlier. The
plug-in solution helps customers in the initial infrastructure setup phase,
when the filling station network is still limited: for approx. 50 km, vehicles
can be charged at home. In most cases in Germany, this will be enough to
take you to the nearest hydrogen filling station.
‹F.›: So is a plug-in fuel cell vehicle the solution for the future of mobility?
‹Mohrdieck›: It could certainly be one of them. Battery and fuel cell form
a symbiosis. The two technologies complement each other perfectly: the
power and response of the battery support the long range and fast refueling
capability of the fuel cell, which is more likely to have its ideal operating
state in driving situations requiring constant power delivery. In the future,
a combination of scalable battery or fuel cell modules would be conceivable
– depending on the mobility scenario and vehicle type.
‹F.›: Mercedes-Benz has just presented pre-series models of its new plugin
diesel hybrids at the Geneva Motor Show. There must be many areas
of technical similarity, right?
‹Mohrdieck›: With our plug-in fuel cell drive system, we are already benefiting
from our modular hybrid concept and, in particular, from our fuel cell
system’s compact design. The drive system could basically be transferred
to numerous model ranges and body variants, as all the other components
– the power electronics, electric motor and the like – are part of our modular
system and can, for the most part, be flexibly combined.
Fuel cell drives
Hydrogen tanks
On-board charger
Lithium-ion battery
H2 filling nozzle
Charging socket
Electric motor
WE WANTED TO USE
THE ADVANTAGES OF HYBRIDIZATION
AND NOT HAVE TO DECIDE
BETWEEN A AND B.
PROF. DR. CHRISTIAN MOHRDIECK,
Director Fuel Cell and Battery Drive Development, Daimler AG
and CEO of the Daimler subsidiary NuCellSys
The intelligent vehicle concept by
Mercedes-Benz is to combine innovative
fuel cells and battery technology into
a plug-in hybrid for the first time ever.