Optimized Design of a H 2 -Powered Moped for Urban Mobility

Gabriele Loreti, Alessandro Rosati, Ilaria Baffo (), Stefano Ubertini and Andrea Luigi Facci
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Gabriele Loreti: Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organization, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Alessandro Rosati: Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organization, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Ilaria Baffo: Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organization, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Stefano Ubertini: Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organization, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Andrea Luigi Facci: Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organization, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 6, 1-18

Abstract: Micro-mobility plays an increasingly important role in the current energy transition thanks to its low energy consumption and reduced contribution to urban congestion. In this scenario, fuel cell hybrid electric vehicles have several advantages over state-of-the-art battery electric vehicles, such as increased driving ranges and reduced recharge times. In this paper, we study the conversion of a commercial electric moped (Askoll eS 3 ® ) into a fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle by finding the optimal design of the components through an optimization methodology based on backward dynamic programming. This optimal design and operation strategy can also be implemented with a rules-based approach. The results show that a system composed of a 1 kW proton exchange membrane fuel cell, a 2000 Sl metal hydride hydrogen tank, and a 240 Wh buffer battery can cover the same driving range as the batteries in an electric moped (119 km). Such a hybrid system occupies considerably less volume (almost 40 L) and has a negligibly higher mass. The free volume can be used to extend the driving range up to almost three times the nominal value. Moreover, by using a high-pressure composite tank, it is possible to increase the mass energy density of the onboard energy storage (although compression can require up to 10% of the hydrogen’s chemical energy). The fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle can be recharged with green hydrogen that is locally produced. In detail, we analyze a residential scenario and a shared mobility scenario in the small Italian city of Viterbo.

Keywords: sustainable mobility; micro mobility; fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle; Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure; proton exchange membrane fuel cell; metal hydrides (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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