Mexican University Designs Hydrogen Hybrid Car Prototype

The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) is developing a hybrid car driven by hydrogen fuel cells and electric batteries, which would be the first of its kind in the country, the Heraldo de Tabasco informed. “This is the only technology one hundred per cent clean in the world, as it doesn’t create any kind of contaminant gases; and there are not cars with it available at commercial level yet (in Mexico)”, the coordinator for the Major in Technology of the Industrial Design career, Gerardo Mauricio Arzate Perez, informed the newspaper. It is fair to point that even though hydrogen fuel cells do generate fewer emissions, the production of the hydrogen creates additional ones, since it usually uses fossil fuels. It is still a promising technology, so we give the project credit for encouraging it. Going back to the vehicle, besides the fuel cells it will have eight electric batteries (to provide the energy to start its engine and give extra power when required), which are planned to be nickel metal hydride ones, which have better life-cycle than others used in regular hybrid cars in Mexico (lead-acid ones). The designers calculate autonomy of 300 kilometers with a hydrogen charge and an average speed of 70 to 80 kilometers an hour. Even though the model is not finished, Arzate Perez stated the project is at 65% and could be complete next year. The designers are aiming for a multi-functional car that can be adapted to different uses with accessories. The vehicle’s aesthetics is inspired in a puma, the university’s pet. ::Original story (in Spanish).