Marathon in China

Faster – higher – farther: nothing captures the spirit of the Olympics better than these three words. Volkswagen also shares these ambitions, particularly in terms of sustainable mobility, which explains our “green fleet” at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing. The vehicles used for the various sporting events include models with TDI diesel engines, the latest TSI engines, CNG engines and innovative dual-clutch transmissions. Not only that, several test vehicles featuring a fuel cell and an electric drive were also on the road.

The white-and-green prototypes based on the Chinese-made Passat Lingyu were developed as part of a joint project between Shanghai Volkswagen (SVW) and Tongji University in Shanghai. The university was chiefly responsible for developing the low-temperature fuel cell system, with Dr Thomas von Unwerth and Dr Michael Kahlich from Volkswagen Group Research and Dr Peter Schulenberg from Tongji University providing technical support for the developers. Chinese Minister of Research Wang Gang personally presented the vehicles to Chinese President Hu Jintao and the Director of the United Nations Environmental Programme, Achim Steiner, indicating this project’s great importance. Dr Hackenberg, the board member at Volkswagen responsible for development, explained the technology to the press.

100,000 km without a breakdown
The fuel-cell-powered Passat Lingyus put their suitability for daily use to the test as escort vehicles for the marathon runners, as inspection vehicles used by the public transportation companies monitor their own fleets and as the shuttle service for the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology. Altogether, the 20 mule vehicles put on more than 100,000 km without any major incidents. “We weren’t even using production vehicles. We just wanted to prove that the complex technology works in your average saloon,” explained Dr Ulrich Hackenberg.

Whilst Volkswagen in Germany continues to research and develop the next generation of fuel cells, the high-temperature fuel cell, the aim of this particular project was showcasing low-temperature fuel cell technology in new markets and highlighting a potential way of developing a zero-emissions vehicle. The Chinese-German team from Tongji University led by Professor Zhang Tong developed one of the first vehicles, the fuel cell of which originated almost entirely from a Chinese university. The Passat Lingyus are powered by an 88 kW (120 PS) electric motor.

235 km on one tank
The prototypes’ hydrogen fuel cell system, which attains a peak performance of 55 kW, is housed in the underbody. The power that it generates is stored in a lithium-ion battery located under the rear seat and featuring a capacitance of 8 Ah and a voltage of 376 V. To supply this power, a carbon-fibre-reinforced pressure tank holding 3.2 kg of gaseous hydrogen at 350 bar is on board. At an average consumption of about 1.36 kg of hydrogen for every 100 km, one tank is in theory enough to cover 235 km.

The 210 Nm high-torque electric drive enables acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 15 seconds and a top speed of 140 km/h. The lithium-ion battery provides additional boost for rapid acceleration. In contrast, when braking the vehicle goes into regeneration mode; in other words, the deceleration energy is converted to electric power and fed back to the battery.

No definite date has been set yet as to when the knowledge gained from the test drives will used for series production. “We won’t be get to that until at least the next decade,” stated Dr Hackenberg, indicating his outlook for the future.

Practical testing of the fuel-cell-powered Passat Lingyu is due to continue for some time.  Following the great success at the Olympics, the vehicles are soon to be sent to Sacramento, California, where they will once again be putting their practicality to the test. Two Passat Lingyus will also be available to the press in November at the Los Angeles Autoshow.