Substantive Technical Developments, Manufacturing Production Techniques, and Cost Drivers for Fuel Cell Vehicles

摘要

Studies indicate that the use of fuel cells in vehicle transport could reduce primary feedstock fuel consumption in transportation by a factor of two or more. ' This research applies a design for manufacturing and assembly (DFMA) methodology for estimating the engineering performance, manufacturing methods, and capital costs of new, emerging energy technologies to fuel cell vehicles (FCVs), including advanced subsystems using novel membrane humidifier technologies and cutting-edge membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs). Because FCVs need to compete in a mature vehicle market, it is crucial to identify the performance, design, and manufacturing conditions needed to reduce FCV costs to where they can compete. Thus, a DFMA-style analysis is applied to the cost to manufacture a FCVs motive power system, which is assumed to use hydrogen-fueled polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) stacks. DFMA is applied to an automotive system with a peak net electrical power output of 80 kilowatts-electric (kWe) and evaluated at annual manufacturing production rates that range from 1,000 to 500,000 fuel cell systems (FCSs) per year. DFMA is also applied to a 160 kWe bus system at a manufacturing production rate of 1,000 FCSs/year. The DFMA methodology is composed of four main sequential steps: (1) System Conceptual Design, (2) System Physical Design, (3) Cost Modeling, and (4) Continuous Improvement to Reduce Cost. FCV developers and component manufacturers have provided detailed, expert advice to this analysis effort. The results of this DFMA analysis can help reveal key cost drivers for FCVs and can help compare FCVs with competing technologies based on performance and cost, at similar manufacturing rates and system sizes.