World's first hydrogen Fuel-cell e-bike - NOT!

[flecc]

Bike Europe announce this "first" on this link.

They are wrong though, a full decade ago Aprilia produced one and since then some years ago a private individual also built one that was successful, that being announced in A to B Magazine with photo.

Nor can they claim it's the first to be available for the public to buy since they don't intend that for at least three years. Once again those concerned don't know their e-bike history.

 

[mountainsport]

Bike Europe announce this "first" on this link.

They are wrong though, a full decade ago Aprilia produced one and since then some years ago a private individual also built one that was successful, that being announced in A to B Magazine with photo.

Nor can they claim it's the first to be available for the public to buy since they don't intend that for at least three years. Once again those concerned don't know their e-bike history.

flecc,

You read the evidence sometime ago about Aprilla which was announced in A to B Magazine, but the truth of evidence for me is to show a still picture of the product invention then followed by this invention in motion, I feel strongly about that, because seeing is believing as we all know. The words used "launched today" means a good beginning but sometimes never a good ending.

Mountainsport

 

[jackhandy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IENnSK8Q6nE&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Is interesting, if a bit long-winded, it being 'murrican: Toward the end, there's a piece about hydrogen fuel cell cars, which quotes the potential price as about $1,000,000 a pop!

 

[trex]

A small cartridge like the one on the picture should weigh about 200g and should be good for 10-15 miles and it'll take only 10 seconds to recharge.
If hydrogen is produced and transported at large scale, it should be as cheap as electricity today.
I think this project has a good chance to succeed.

 

[mike killay]

A small cartridge like the one on the picture should weigh about 200g and should be good for 10-15 miles and it'll take only 10 seconds to recharge.
If hydrogen is produced and transported at large scale, it should be as cheap as electricity today.
I think this project has a good chance to succeed.

But,
If you have to use electricity to produce it from water, how can it be as cheap as electricity?

 

[amigafan2003]

But,
If you have to use electricity to produce it from water, how can it be as cheap as electricity?

Because the electricity used to produce the hydrogen will be produced with electricity bought at wholesale prices not retail, thus the retail cost of hydrogen and electricity will be comparable.

The main cost with hydrogen won't be production anyway - it'll be storage and transportation.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I'm not getting too exited yet. All the gubbins weighs about as much as a normal lithium battery that costs about 8p to charge and does 30 miles. How much do you think those canisters of hydrogen cost? My guess is a minimum of £2 for 12 miles . That's more expensive than a petrol scooter.

 

[flecc]

flecc,

You read the evidence sometime ago about Aprilla which was announced in A to B Magazine, but the truth of evidence for me is to show a still picture of the product invention then followed by this invention in motion, I feel strongly about that, because seeing is believing as we all know. The words used "launched today" means a good beginning but sometimes never a good ending.

Mountainsport

The Aprilia evidence was in it being demonsrated at various venues for a couple of years to promote their other e-bikes, so the best evidence possible.

It was the private one that A to B announced long ago, but again that had been demonstrated at a show venue and it was in use by it's creator on the roads. It's 1000lbs per sq.in. hydrogen tank gave it a 56 mile range under test, excellent at a time when most e-bikes had only about 20 miles range.

 

[John Fleet]

Alter bike proposes use of hydrogen to supplement battery life: Alter e-bike uses a hydrogen fuel cell to expand range

 

[flecc]

Seems like it could be a good idea John, though it will add quite a bit to the e-bike price. Starting with commercial use is sensible to prove it under better controlled circumstances.

 

[trex]

plausible but what stops someone nicking his H2 cartridges?

 

[flecc]

Presumably if it ever becomes popular enough for them to be of wider use they'll incorporate a lock, like that on many batteries. They'll be fairly low pressure like camping gaz, so cheap anyway.

 

[trex]

then the obvious question is: what stops someone to add an ICE + inverter running on camping gaz cartridges?
I'd hear you say: but that's not a pedelec.
Then if someone puts the generator in his panier?

 

[flecc]

It would still have to charge a separate unconnected battery. Charging the battery in use by ICE makes it a motor vehicle.

 

[trex]

so if the bike has two 5AH batteries and a switch to alternate between them then a legal pedelec can be achieved?

 

[john h]

Had one on the gadget show 5 years back

 

[john h]

THE shanghai pearl hydrogen source technology, had hydrogen powerd bikes at the shangai bike show in 2007. 15 mph 60 mile range , the gadget show bike was made at birmingham uni as flecc said there have been others there first . www. pearlhydrogen.com

 

[flecc]

so if the bike has two 5AH batteries and a switch to alternate between them then a legal pedelec can be achieved?

Conditionally yes, as long as there isn't a direct line between the ICE charging input and the battery/motor in use.

But as ever there is a snag, electricity generation is manufacturing and that is illegal on the highway. That came to the fore when readymix concrete trucks first arrived and were breaking the law, so a special dispensation had to be granted for them. I imagine the same had to happen for ice cream vans which are manufacturing the ice cream from milk and a special powdered gelatine compound.

 

[trex]

the same could be said about recharging your bike with solar panel or braking regeneration.
I guess if you stop the bike at a layby then run your generator then you can avoid this issue.

 

[John Fleet]

Seems like it could be a good idea John, though it will add quite a bit to the e-bike price. Starting with commercial use is sensible to prove it under better controlled circumstances.

I agree, at least there are some recognisable companies behind this one; so one to follow - the article seems to imply that it's at least eighteen months away from mass production