Comparative study of new on-board power generation technologies for automotive applications

The increasing use of electrical and electronic features to improve vehicle performance, fuel economy, emissions, passenger comfort, safety, and convenience has resulted in the growth of electrical loads in the vehicle. In order to meet these electrical load demands and also to meet the requirement of power generation when the engine is off, several technologies are on the horizon for on-board power generation in the vehicles. In this paper, new onboard power generation technologies based on the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell, Thermo-photovoltaic (TPV) system, and Diamond or Carbon Nanostructures are compared in terms power density, cost, and long term feasibility for automotive applications.