With the Vivaro-e, Opel is bringing hydrogen propulsion to the world of vans. At the end of the year, the Opel Vivaro-e will come with a new drive concept. In addition to a fuel cell, there is a small battery on board that can be charged at the socket.
The idea sounds awesome. Since there are still too few hydrogen filling stations, the fear of range still stands in the way of the success of this drive. When the fuel cell, which produces the electricity for the electric motor as an on-board power plant, runs out of food, brings Opel the plug-in principle into the Hydrogen version of his well-known electric van Vivaro-e. The trick lies in a battery that is only 10,5 kWh and is hidden under the front seats. With it, the Vivaro, which is around five meters long, can travel a good 50 kilometers without the assistance of the fuel cell. That should be enough to reach a pump with the still rare juice when the hydrogen tank is empty.
Opel Vivaro-e basis for the Hydrogen model
Dr. Lars-Peter Thiesen is the hydrogen specialist at Opel and explains: “The all-electric Vivaro-e has a range of 75 kilometers with the 330 kWh battery. We used it to develop our hydrogen model. ”Instead of the battery, three 700 bar hydrogen tanks were installed in the underbody to supply the 45 kW fuel cell. The range of the Vivaro increases to over 400 kilometers. "This is ideal for customers who have to cover longer distances than is currently possible with the classic electric models".
Since the thin network of hydrogen filling stations still has a deterrent effect, Thiesen came up with the idea of plug-in technology for a hydrogen car. The possibility of charging a battery externally at the socket is widespread. So far, it has primarily served to use the combination of combustion engine and electric drive as environmentally friendly as possible, i.e. to cover the longest possible distances without the gasoline or diesel.
The idea behind the plug-in Hydrogen is a little different. Here it is about reaching a filling station if the hydrogen tank is threatened with empty. A kind of “reserve canister” because a charged battery, which is quite small at 10,5 kWh, can drive 50 kilometers without it Fuel cell sufficient. In normal operation, the battery only takes part in the supply of the electric motor when it comes to starting or accelerating, thus serving as a kind of “booster”. It can also be recharged using the braking energy generated (recuperation).
Opel's target group for the Vivaro-e Hydrogen are fleet customers. Initially, 2.000 units are to be built over the next two years.