In a fuel cell, a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen results in the direct generation of electricity which is used to power an electric motor. In 1994, Mercedes-Benz presented the first research vehicle with a fuel-cell drive as a possible solution to the question of how to maintain individual mobility without relying on crude oil.
Since the presentation of the first fuel cell vehicle in 1994 — the New Electric Car (NECAR 1), in which the fuel cell drive took up the entire cargo space of a Mercedes van — Mercedes-Benz has been a driving force in the optimisation of this technology. As a result of this development effort, the efficiency of the fuel-cell drive has been significantly improved while the amount of space it requires has been reduced to a minimum.
20 Mercedes-Benz prototypes and concept vehicles, ranging from compact passenger cars based on the A-Class to Sprinter vans and Citaro regular-service buses have been built.
Since 2003, the world's first small-batch series of fuel-cell passenger cars – 60 A-Class "F-Cell" saloons – has proven its suitability in the course of daily use by customers. Together with 36 buses and a number of vans, Mercedes-Benz currently has the largest fleet of fuel-cell vehicles in use in Europe, Asia, the USA and Australia. To date, these vehicles have logged over two million kilometres, building up a wealth of practical experience which is growing all the time and helping to drive forward the successful development of this technology.
One of the most important breakthroughs came when Mercedes-Benz succeeded in producing a fuel cell with cold-start capability. Improved structures in the fuel cell stack and new materials now ensure that the drive also starts in the winter months at temperatures of –20° C.
Mercedes-Benz is developing the next generation of "F Cell" vehicles on the basis of the B-Class. The new research vehicle's 100 kW high-torque fuel-cell drive is 35 kW more powerful than the predecessor generation and is thus able to combine emission-free driving with dynamic performance. At 400 km, instead of the previous 130 km, the operating range has also been extended significantly while the reliability and durability of the components are undergoing further enhancement.
The speed with which it will be possible to move into the fuel-cell age depends not only on the vehicle technology but also, to a very significant extent, on the creation of a universal infrastructure for the fuel. Mercedes-Benz is therefore actively working towards the establishment of the social and political framework which will make this possible.
On the way to the ultimate goal of a fuel-cell drive system, the hybrid drive is playing an increasingly important role as there are many common factors and synergy effects which link hybrid and fuel-cell technology; these are to be found principally in the high-voltage electrical and electronic components as well as in the field of energy management.
