Some have already tried their hand at pedelecs with fuel cells. A start-up from France has now set up the first commercial project with fuel cells. The Pragma Industries Alpha shows what the future of fuel cell technology could look like.
Pragma Industries Alpha key figures:
Motor: Brose 36 V (250 W power up to 25 km/h support)
Fuel Cell: 150W PEM Fuel Cell
Energy storage: 150 Wh Li-On Batteries
Hydrogen storage: 2 L Compressed H2 Gas Cylinder
Pragma Industries Alpha – how it works:
A fuel cell works according to the galvanic principle. An oxidizer is added to a fuel. Obtained from the chemical reaction energy with electric current. In a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell, hydrogen reacts with oxygen, producing water and electricity. The fuel cell from Pragma Industries also works according to this principle. The energy gained is temporarily stored in a 150 Wh battery, which then feeds the 36 V Brose motor, which supports the bike like a normal pedelec up to 25 km/h. The advantage of a fuel cell is its long range compared to a conventional e-bike. Pragma specifies a range of about 100 km for the Alpha. In addition, the loading and refueling times are significantly shorter. Depending on its size, a conventional e-bike battery takes a few hours to fully charge. The fuel cell is completely refueled in less than 2 minutes, provided you have a gas station nearby.
Pragma Industries Alpha – Is it already possible to buy the fuel cell pedelec?
no We already addressed the issue of missing gas stations in the paragraph above. That is why Pragma only sells the bikes to various institutions in a package with a hydrogen filling station. The package includes 10 bikes (€7.500 per bike) and a gas station (€75.000). Various French cities such as Cherbourg, Chambéry or Biarritz have already secured packages. At the end of 2019, the company will try to approach end customers with the project if the charging infrastructure is available by then. The price will probably fall a bit by then, since the first calculation was based on a series of 100 pieces.
Definitely an interesting project to keep in mind for the future. You can still invest in the project here.
All information can be found on the company's website
Josef Wachtveitl says
Fuel cell, hydrogen, solar power plants, is the future, why don't the board members, politicians get it???
Just as much money will be made with it, only with the difference, in harmony with nature.
I am impotently sad about so much ignorance and stupidity on the part of those responsible.