Nissan develops new ethanol fuel cells to jump infrastructure hurdle & safer & cheaper than Hydrogen

[Bill USA]

http://www.autonews.com/article/20160614/OEM05/160619961/nissan-develops-new-ethanol-fuel-cells-to-jump-infrastructure-hurdle

YOKOHAMA, Japan -- Nissan Motor Co. has developed a new kind of fuel cell drivetrain for cars that taps an onboard tank of ethanol instead of pressurized hydrogen, delivering a cheaper and safer ride that it says is more user friendly.

The new technology, dubbed an e-bio fuel cell, aims to combat a common hurdle to deploying traditional hydrogen fuel cell vehicles: the lack of a hydrogen fueling infrastructure. Nissan’s system uses bio-ethanol, derived from renewable crops such as corn or sugarcane, and that refueling infrastructure already largely exists.

E-bio fuel cells should also be less costly than traditional hydrogen systems because they don’t require the expensive carbon-fiber storage tanks for pressurized hydrogen or costly precious metals such as platinum as catalysts for electricity generation.

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“By using this fuel, it can have wider application,” Executive Vice President Hideyuki Sakamoto said today while announcing the development. “We do not require a hydrogen infrastructure. That is the biggest advantage, along with better safety.”
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