As early as 1988, Daimler engineers proposed to apply PEMFC used in aerospace to automobiles. In 199 1 year, the first real PEM fuel cell automobile was developed in only three years. Hemert Weller, then the technical research director of Daimler-Benz Group, proudly put forward: "We are at the forefront of a new era, which is comparable to the era when Daimler and Carl Benz made the first vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine."
Compared with Honda, Toyota and Hyundai, in the 30-year research and development process of fuel cell vehicles, Mercedes-Benz has achieved a breakthrough from 0 to 1 for PEM fuel cell vehicles, and made diversified explorations: it has quickly realized "transporting piles" to "transporting people", verified the technical feasibility and pointed out the direction for the industry; It is not limited to a car, but has been tried in cars, SUVs, buses and trucks. Various hydrogen storage schemes have been tried from reforming gaseous hydrogen and methanol to liquid hydrogen. This shows the powerful strength and industry responsibility of the "automobile inventor", and also shows that in the exploration of new technology routes, Mercedes-Benz did not grasp the key direction of technological development as quickly as Japanese and Korean companies did, and went all out to promote technological development.
For various reasons, Mercedes-Benz stopped the development of fuel cell passenger car project, and chose to cooperate with Volvo for commercial vehicle project. The process of Mercedes-Benz from a pioneer and leader in the field of fuel cells to being marginalized or even temporarily withdrawing from market competition is thought-provoking.
At present, China's fuel cell vehicle industry is dominated by commercial vehicles, and fuel cell passenger cars are still in the exploration stage. With the further development of technology and infrastructure, China will probably become the largest fuel cell passenger car market in the world. In addition to Toyota and Hyundai, the development of Mercedes-Benz fuel cell vehicles is also worth learning, which can even provide reference for the development of pure electric vehicle industry in China: how to explore a strange field without reference, and how to avoid being marginalized or even eliminated by latecomers?
1, 1994: NECAR 1, starting point
1On April 3, 1994, Daimler-Benz invited the international media to the new research center in Ulm, Germany, and showed the reporter the first fuel cell car designed by Mercedes-Benz for daily use-Necar.
Figure 1? NECAR 1
Necka? 1 Based on Mercedes-Benz MB? 100 van has traveled thousands of kilometers before it was released.
This car is more like a mobile laboratory than a car suitable for everyday use. The fuel cell system consists of Ballard's twelve fuel cell stacks, with an output power of 50kW and a total weight of 800KG, which is unimaginable now. Hydrogen storage tank, electronic control device, compressor, cooling system, plus many measuring instruments, fill the whole cargo hold, and there is almost no other spare space-exactly the same as China's fuel cell in automatic start.
The hydrogen storage tank can hold 150 liters of compressed gas with a pressure of 30MPa, and can provide a battery life of 130 kilometers. The motor power is 30kW, which makes NECAR? 1 top speed 90km/h.
This is the first practice of PEM fuel cell vehicle, which is practiced by "automobile inventor". It is really unique. From 199 1 to 1994, the breakthrough from 0 to 1 was really commendable.
Figure 2? Necka? 1
2. 1996: NECAR2, which made remarkable progress and caused a sensation in the world.
1On May 4th, 996, Daimler-Benz showed the world's first passenger car NECAR2 powered by fuel cells. NECAR2 is based on V-class sedan and equipped with 45? kW？ Motor and 50KW fuel cell system.
Compared with NECAR 1, this car has made remarkable progress.
On the stack side, Neckar? 2 has been reduced in size and volume. Two stacks consisting of 150 monomers replaced NECAR? The 1 12 stack is only about 270 kg, which is one third of the previous product, while the output power remains unchanged.
In terms of hydrogen storage tanks, two 140 liter hydrogen storage tanks are located on the roof, which expands the cruising range of the whole vehicle to 250 kilometers and provides space for 6 passengers. 1 has made great progress. At the same time, the top speed of the car can reach110 km/h.
Necka? 2' s exhibition caused a sensation all over the world. The new york Times called it NECAR? 2 "Is there a breakthrough in zero-emission driving?" . Reuters called it "the great progress of Daimler and Ballard, who reduced the battery quality to less than one-fifth without sacrificing electricity."
Some commentators think, "? The fuel cell schedule announced by Daimler is at least four years ahead of the plan of the US Department of Energy. "
Necka? It shows the powerful R&D strength of Mercedes-Benz, and has achieved a great leap from laboratory to engineering products in just two years, from "transporting piles" to "transporting people", verified the technical feasibility and usability of fuel cell vehicles, and led the development of new energy vehicle technology.
Figure 3? Necka? 2
3. 1997: NECAR？ 3. Methanol reforming
1997 September 10, Neckar? 3 Debut at Frankfurt Motor Show. What is this car based on? Class car platform design is the world's first vehicle-mounted methanol reforming fuel cell hydrogen production vehicle.
Necka? The reformer has the characteristics of laboratory model. It needs a lot of space in the rear passenger compartment. The "rest" of the fuel cell system has been working under the floor. When stepping on the accelerator pedal, the system can provide 90% of its maximum output in two seconds, which is a fuel cell vehicle with internal combustion engine power experience.
Use the inner card? 2. Inside Carl? 3. Two 150 cell stacks generate 50 kW output. They work at a temperature of about 80 degrees Celsius, and the water generated during the operation is reused to convert methanol into hydrogen.
A fuel tank filled with 38 liters of methanol can easily travel 300 kilometers. Under the speed limit design, the motor with power of 45kW provides the vehicle with the maximum speed of1.20km/h..
Necka? 3 shows Mercedes-Benz's thinking and attempt after encountering the bottleneck of hydrogen storage technology, and shows its ability to put it into practice.
Figure 4? Necka? three
4、 1997? Commercial vehicle NEBUS? o？ 405? Bus online
1on may 26th, 997, Daimler-benz exhibited NEBUS (new electric bus) in stuttgart. Is it Daimler-Benz Research Institute, EvoBus? GmbH, the product of cooperation with non-emission commercial vehicle capacity center (KEN).
The practical bus licensed by the German Technical Inspection Association is 2.50 meters wide, 3.50 meters high, 12 meters long and weighs 14 tons, which can accommodate 34 passengers and 24 station passengers.
NEBUS has a cruising range of 250 kilometers at a time, which is enough to cope with the use scenarios of conventional service buses. Its top speed is about 80? km？ /? h .
There are 10 stack 150 fuel cells behind NEBUS, with a total output of 250 kW. The roof is equipped with seven 30MPa Samsung hydrogen storage tanks with a storage capacity of 2 1kg.
Figure 5? Nebus
5. 1999: NECAR4, realizing on-board liquid hydrogen.
Necka? 4 is also based on the Mercedes-Benz Class A exhibited in Washington, D.C. on March 1999.
Necka? The two fuel cell stacks in 4 consist of 160 single cells respectively, and the total output power reaches 70KW. They are only the size of suitcases and are arranged under the floor of A-class cars.
It is worth mentioning that NECAR? 4. Liquid hydrogen is stored. The liquid hydrogen storage tank is located at the rear of the vehicle, and its capacity is100L. In order to keep the temperature extremely low, it consists of two steel cans, so it looks like an oversized thermos. Because the fuel cell needs gaseous hydrogen to operate, it is necessary to change the cold liquid state into a gaseous state: two heating elements integrated in the water tank ensure that hydrogen is provided to the stack immediately when the vehicle is started, and allow them to work immediately.
After using liquid hydrogen, NECAR? The top speed is 145km/h and the cruising range is 450km, which can accommodate five passengers and luggage.
At that time, which ones were evaluated as more advanced in technology and more optimized in spatial structure design? Necka? 4 is a decisive step for Daimler to mass-produce fuel cell vehicles. 2000? Since 2008, NECAR? 4 Used for the actual test in California. 15? The team conducted intensive field and daily driving tests under daily conditions.
1999, Toyota, Honda and Hyundai's fuel cell experimental vehicles just rolled off the assembly line, and Mercedes-Benz has already realized the attempt of loading liquid hydrogen. The development of Mercedes-Benz in fuel cell vehicle technology is not unpleasant.
Figure 6? Necka? four
6、2000? NECAR4a, realizing a single-stack automobile fuel cell system.
Necka? Version 4a is used for actual testing. Necka? 4a was put into the market on June 5438+065438+1 October1in 2000, and it has the capacity of small batch production, which laid the foundation for the mass production plan of A-class cars with the same design.
With the launch of NECAR 1999? 4, "? California " Necka? 4 running with compressed hydrogen also reached 145? km？ /? h(90？ Maximum speed per hour)
This type of fuel cell is more compact and consists of only one ballast with an output power of 75kw? Mark? 900 stacks, its volume can be reduced by half, and its weight can also be reduced by 1/3. Three hydrogen tanks with a volume of 140 liter under the floor are pressurized to 35MPa, and about two kilograms of hydrogen is enough to meet the endurance of 200 kilometers.
7.2000: NECAR5, reaching the production milestone.
Necka? Is it actually following NECAR? The sixth version of NECAR concept car series after 4a was launched at the Berlin conference on June 7th, 2000.
Necka? 5 is NECAR? The mature successor of 3 adopted methanol reforming method.
Necka? By using a very large reformer, it took Mercedes only three years to halve its size and greatly reduce its weight. Necka. The whole fuel cell system, including reformer, was installed on Mercedes-Benz Class A for the first time, and it did not occupy the space of passengers and their luggage. Its top speed exceeds 145 km/h, and its battery life can reach 400KM due to the use of a 45-liter fuel tank.
Use the inner card? 4a，NECAR？ A 75KW single-stack fuel cell system was used and installed in a compact (80? x？ 40? x？ 25 cm) is packed in a container resistant to vibration and impact. Due to the newly developed glycol coolant, the drive system has anti-freezing performance and can be started even in cold winter. Similar to diesel engines, the system needs to be warmed up for a period of time to reach the working temperature.
At this time, the technical development direction and several key technical parameters of Mercedes-Benz fuel cell passenger car are still not obviously different from those of 20 years later, even in hydrogen storage, and a series of key problems have been solved, which is enough to explain Mercedes-Benz's advanced technology in fuel cell vehicles.
8.200 1: Sprinter, truck on line.
On July 26th, 20001year, Mercedes-Benz launched Sprinter, the world's first truck equipped with fuel cell drive system.
Sprinter is equipped with 75? kW？ /? 102? Hp motor, the power is provided by the fuel cell system of a single battery pack. The top speed is about 120? km？ /? h .
The planned test time was two years, but in the first 12 months of operation, people's expectations for the fuel cell truck were confirmed: the truck traveled more than 65,438+06,000 kilometers without serious failure.
It is worth mentioning that in 20 18, Mercedes-Benz also "refurbished" this fuel cell truck.
Figure 7? dash man
9.2002: a? Class? F-cell, prove yourself and realize small batch production.
June 5438 +2002 10, DaimlerChrysler exhibited a car? Class? F-cell, and announced that it will produce 60 small cars. Since 2003, it has been tested in the daily operation of small-scale customers in Europe, the United States, Japan and Singapore within the framework of government-subsidized international cooperative enterprises.
165438+20041late October, at the idiyada proving ground near Barcelona, Spain, a car? Class? F-cell has been driving for 24 hours, which is the first time that a fuel cell vehicle has achieved self-certification in the endurance test. The car is about 120? km？ /? H's average speed traveled nearly 8500 kilometers.
10, 2002? : Citaro, fuel cell bus update
Citaro fuel cell bus is the successor of NEBUS. Its voyage is about 200 kilometers, depending on the equipment, it can accommodate up to 70 passengers. The car is equipped with an output power of more than 200? KW fuel cell module and 30MPa hydrogen storage tank are also installed on the roof. The top speed of the bus reached 80 miles per hour? km？ /? h(50？ Miles per hour).
Figure 8? Sitaro
1 1, 2005: Mercedes-Benz F600 series, starting the concept car tour.
At the Tokyo Motor Show in June 5438+ 10, 2005, Mercedes-Benz launched the F? 600? HYGENIUS automobile
Engineers reduced the size of the fuel cell by about 40% through the newly developed fuel cell stack, electric turbocharger and new humidification and dehumidification system, and achieved 86? KW peak output, maximum torque of 350 Nm. Under the torque of 250 Newton meters, the continuous output of the fuel cell driver is 60? KW, the energy consumption is equivalent to 2.9 liters of diesel per 100 km.
When necessary, f? 600? HYGENIUS can also be used as a mobile generator: its 66? The kilowatt power output is enough to power several independent houses.
Mercedes-Benz has always kept its imagination in fuel cell vehicles, but it has been gradually surpassed by Toyota and Honda in practice. At this time, Mercedes-Benz has lost its absolute leading position in fuel cell vehicle technology.
Figure 9? F600r
12、2009? BlueZero？ F cell
Mercedes BlueZero? The F-Cell concept car made its debut at the Detroit International Auto Show in June 2009.
Mercedes BlueZero? F-Cell has b? The appearance of class. The car will be equipped with a 90KW fuel cell, achieving a cruising range of 240 miles, twice the cruising range of the same pure electric version. In terms of power, BlueZero? The acceleration time of F-Cell is less than 1 1 sec.
Figure 10? BlueZero？ F cell
13，20 10: b？ Class, close to mass production
Where is Mercedes-Benz's fuel cell car finally? 20 10? It entered the stage of small-scale mass production in 1980. From then on, Mercedes? b？ Class a fuel cell vehicle (output power? 100kW/ 136hp, top speed? 170km/h, cruising range? 385km) is used by customers in European and American markets every day.
By then, Daimler's fuel cell experimental vehicles have exceeded? 300? The total mileage of vehicles and fleets has exceeded120,000? Kilometers. In the United States alone, there are about? 70? The fuel cell vehicle of this car has traveled more than 3.2 million kilometers.
2000-2065 438+00 has already reached the Mercedes-Benz in the stage of small batch production, and has not yet completed the leap from small batch to large batch. In fact, Hyundai IX35, the first mass-produced fuel cell passenger car, was launched in 20 13. This role could have been played by Mercedes-Benz, but due to various reasons such as technology, cost and market recognition, Mercedes-Benz's mass production plan for fuel cell vehicles failed to be realized.
At this time, Mercedes-Benz has lost its leading position in the research and development of fuel cell vehicles.
Figure 1 1? b？ Class? F cell
14,2011year: F 125, 125th anniversary.
The Mercedes-Benz F 125 hydrogen fuel cell concept car was unveiled at the 20 1 1 Frankfurt Motor Show. Named 125 to celebrate Mercedes-Benz? 125th anniversary.
The core of the new car drive system is equipped with a more powerful fuel cell system and integrated plug-in hybrid technology. The application of high-performance advanced technology makes the rated power of vehicles reach? 200kW(272hp), maximum speed? 220km/h, cruising range? 1 100km, of which about? 200km can be driven by a powerful and compact high-voltage battery. What about the rest? 900km？ It is driven by a fuel cell.
The acceleration time of F 125 is 4.9 seconds, and the top speed reaches 220 km/h.
Figure 12? F 125
15, 20 14? : vision? G code, paint can also generate electricity?
Mercedes-benz vision G-Code is an SUV, and the paint of the vehicle is its most innovative design: when the vehicle is not running in the same position or idling, multi-voltage paint will generate electricity in many different ways (including wind energy and solar energy) to help provide the power needed for the operation of different components of the SUV.
Figure 13? Vision? G code
16，20 15: F 105？ Fuel? Cells, magical appearance
The cruising range of the vehicle is about 684 miles, of which 124 miles are powered by batteries, and the remaining 560 miles are provided by hydrogen fuel cells. The fuel cell itself drives two rear motors with a peak output of about 272? HP, zero acceleration is about 6.7 seconds.
A variety of fuel cell concept cars reflect Mercedes-Benz's advanced car concept and profound technical accumulation, but this is more like "showing off skills". In the practice of fuel cell vehicles, Mercedes-Benz has lagged behind Japanese and Korean companies.
Figure 14? F 105？ Football club
17, 20 18? Mercedes-Benz GLCF battery
Mercedes-Benz GLC F-CELL adopts hydrogen fuel cell technology, and 4.4kg hydrogen fuel is stored in two carbon fiber tanks, one of which is located at the drive shaft and the other is located under the rear seat. It takes about three minutes to fill the hydrogen storage tank of the car's hydrogen fuel cell, and the maximum cruising range will reach 437 kilometers. In addition, the new car is also equipped with a 13.8 kwh battery pack with a pure electric cruising range of 49km.
Under the attack of Toyota mirai and Hyundai NEXO, this model is the last "facade" of European car companies in the field of fuel cell passenger cars. Despite the accumulation of various technologies, in practice, the old European car companies undoubtedly lag behind the East Asian car companies in pure electric and fuel cells.
Figure 15? GLC？ Football club
In 2020, Mercedes-Benz announced GLC? The FC project is suspended, and BMW's fuel cell car will not come out for several years, even with the technical help of Toyota. So far, only East Asian companies remain in the fuel cell passenger car market. Europe has experienced a difficult catch-up in the field of pure electric vehicles. Will the field of fuel cell vehicles return to the road of pursuing pure electric vehicles under market pressure?
This article comes from car home, the author of the car manufacturer, and does not represent car home's position.
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