It has recently emerged that the Municipality of Copenhagen aim to operate a fleet of sixteen hydrogen powered vehicles in connection with the UN Climate Summit to be held in Copenhagen in 2009.

The vehicles are part of the so-called LINK 2009 project initiated by the newly established ”Hydrogen Link Association”. H2 Logic originally submitted a 30mil DKK proposal to the Danish EUDP (Energy Development and Demonstration Programme), which is funded by state capital, managed by an independent executive board, and administered by the Danish Energy Authorities. The EUDP fund was established by former Minister of Energy Mr. Flemming Hansen, who is now a board member of H2 Logic A/S.

In late June of 2008, the EUDP awarded H2 Logic 5mil DKK to further developments of a second generation version of the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. One part of the application included consent from the City of Copenhagen to purchase sixteen hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for a total price of 14mil DKK.

Asked about if the City of Copenhagen has test driven the first generation of the vehicle, project leader Ms Birte Busch Thomsen explains that it is normal procedure that the municipality does not test drive vehicles, but relies on the technical specifications from the contractor. Ms Thomsen further explains that the Municipality has consulted the “Hydrogen Link” partners and the Danish Energy Authorities about the vehicle. “The vehicle was last driven by the Spanish and Danish Prime Ministers in Copenhagen in June [2008],” explains Ms Thomsen.

Source: Hydrogen Link

“From the second generation vehicle we expect a total driving range of 240 km before a new recharge and refueling. Furthermore, we expect that the cost of the vehicle can be reduced from 1mil DKK to 750.000 DKK per vehicle,” continues Ms Thomsen.

“We [The Municipality of Copenhagen] see this as a development project. However, the Municipality does not pay for the development, but only the vehicles as we act as end-users,” explains Ms Thomsen.

On this basis it has not been necessary to place a call for tender on the vehicles, according to the Municipality of Copenhagen.

The Converted Think Electric Vehicle

The basis of hydrogen fuel cell vehicle is the Norwegian Think Electric Vehicle, which is being converted to drive on hydrogen. The batteries give the vehicle a driving range of 150km per charge, which means that the hydrogen and fuel cell system is expected to add some 90km per refueling.

In a commentary from the “Hydrogen Link Association” it is stated that the emissions from the vehicle are expected to be comparable to that of electric vehicles since the vehicle in 90 percent of the driving cases will cruise less than 150 km. The price of a standard Think Electric Vehicle is about 200.000 DKK, which means that the extra cost for the converted vehicle is 550.000 DKK. Hence, the cost is 550.000 DKK to increase the driving range by 90 km, which is only expected to be needed 10 % of the time.

”The purpose of the project is to make the electric vehicle common in the future, since the combination of batteries and fuel cells maintains the advantage of the electric vehicle and adds longer driving range and fast refueling. This project’s long term goal is that electric vehicles in family sizes also will get a longer cruising range. Hence the purpose of this project is that there in the future will be developed electric vehicles that are as flexible as ordinary petrol and diesel cars,” explains Ms Thomsen about the goals of the project and why the City of Copenhagen has decided to pay the extra money for adding the hydrogen and fuel cell system.

Ms Thomsen also confirms that the decision process was based on a recent survey ordered by the Municipality of Copenhagen from the consulting firm Grotmij Carl Bro and H2 Logic. The report included a market survey of the driving habits in different departments of the Municipality of Copenhagen along with an evaluation of emissions from various technologies. Based on this, the report also evaluates and recommends several demonstration projects to be tried in Copenhagen.

The report only recommends the usage of pure electric vehicles to one segment of transport Copenhagen, but suggests three segments suited for the usage of hydrogen powered electric vehicles. Of the fourteen project proposals in the recommendation, one is based on battery electric vehicles, eight on bio-fuels, and five on hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.

As for the project proposed for personnel vehicles, the suggested price indicates the usage of converted Think Hydrogen vehicles.

In California, US the Honda FCX Clarity is available on certain conditions subjected to limited availability for a monthly leasing fee of 600 USD per month on a 36 month contract. The Honda FCX Clarity has a driving range of 450 km based on compressed hydrogen at 350 bar. The drive train consists of Li-ion batteries, fuel cells and a novel compact super capacitor to power the 100kW electric engine that yields a top speed of 160 km/h of the Clarity.

To H2CARSBIZ, Ms Thomsen indicates that the Municipality has not been in contact with other suppliers of hydrogen powered vehicles.

“The whole purpose of the project is to make Copenhagen and Scandinavian attractive to foreign auto manufactures with hydrogen vehicles, so that we in the future, fore example, can get Honda fuel cell vehicles to the area. This is, amongst other things, something that the Scandinavian Hydrogen Highway Partnership works on,” finishes Ms Thomsen, project leader in the Municipality of Copenhagen.

Notes to this article

H2 Logic A/S has not been able to provide technical specifications on the converted Think vehicle for this article. The company refers to future announcements on http://www.hydrogenlink.net/.

The standard Think Eletric Vehicle (Think City) has a 30kW peak power electric engine, a driving range (EU UDC City) of 203 km per recharge, and a top speed of 100km/h.

The listed “Hydrogen Link” representative has not replied to neither e-mail nor telephone calls. One phone no. is out of service and another refers to Region Midtjylland, where the contact person is no longer employed.