Fuel cells get sporty

unveiled its next-generation fuel cell vehicle at the Geneva motor show this month; the ‘B-Cell’. Mercedes’ parent DaimlerChrysler said the new B-class ‘F-Cell’ is the first sports tourer vehicle to be developed with fuel cell technology.

Its high-torque electric motor can develop 100kW, 35kW more than its predecessor, the A-class ‘F-Cell’, while a reduction in fuel consumption and storage capacity has seen the operating range increase to 400km. The modular design of the fuel cell means that individual components can be removed and maintained more easily, which the company claims is a step further towards market maturity for fuel cell vehicles.

Further design changes have seen the compressor located at the front of the car; allowing it to run far more quietly than the A-class F-cell.

The design incorporates a sandwich floor, in which the engine and transmission are arranged in an inclined position partly in front and partly beneath the passenger.