Formula zero: Development and kart’s competition driven by PEM fuel cell

Formula Zero (FZ) is an European project that promotes a zero emissions karts championship based on fuel cell (FC) technology. The project’s objectives are: first, to compete at FZ championship with own FC vehicle, second, to demonstrate that sustainable mobility is possible having zero emissions transports, and third, to take out all the knowledge gained during the development of this project for implanting it in future projects with FC automotive applications. The team has designed and built a kart powered by a stack of PEM 1.2 kW at a first prototype and another prototype powered by a 8 kW stack in a second stage. The goal of the project is to confirm that karts powered by hydrogen and FC are able to compete at velocity races, getting same performance as conventional karts. The difference is that the FC kart is an electric vehicle, with no emissions, no noise, and no vibrations.

► A Hydrogen Fuel Cell go-kart has been designed, simulated and tested in a real circuit.
► The powertrain configuration selected by computer simulations is because it is the faster one.
► The components has been completely characterized (dynamic and static working points).
► The values of the parallel and series resistances of the capacitors are obtained.
► The step-up control limits are known.
► The feasibility of build a hydrogen motor sport vehicle is demonstrated.