UK’s Intelligent Energy introduced its Gen4 air-cooled fuel cell power unit, designed for easy integration into two-wheel and four-wheel vehicles at the JSAE Annual Congress.
The technology has been developed in collaboration with the Suzuki Motor Corporation.
The Gen4 fuel cell power unit incorporates the necessary ancillary components to enable vehicle manufacturers to more easily integrate the system into their products. Incorporating Intelligent Energy’s latest proprietary fuel cell technology, Gen4 is a power-dense, compact and self-contained system.
Rated for continuous operation at 3.9kW and capable of providing in excess of 4kW for short periods, the power unit has been designed as a prime-mover power source for smaller fuel cell electric vehicles and also as a range extender for larger vehicles, offering a zero-emission alternative to conventional internal combustion engines and to address range anxiety often experienced with battery only electric vehicles.
Gen 4 has been subject to a comprehensive development process to satisfy demanding automotive requirements based upon an extensive operational and performance test programme, including shock and vibration testing and repeated thermal cycling over a range of operating temperatures.
A ready-to-scale production line capable of manufacturing Gen4 fuel cells was commissioned in 2013 at SMILE FC System Corporation, the joint venture company established by Intelligent Energy and Suzuki in Yokohama, Japan.
