Running experiments of small single-operator electric vehicle using 20W hydrogen fuel cell

We have developed a small, lightweight, single operator fuel cell vehicle with a 20 W fuel cell and a 5.8 L hydrogen gas tank for university education purposes, named the pico FCV. The frame for the vehicle was fabricated using thin rectangular aluminum rods. A 90 W DC motor and a reduction gear system were used to actuate the system. The control system was designed using a PIC microcomputer which controls the drive motor speed, the drive current, and purging of the non-active gas from the fuel cell. Students are able to study the design of mechanical systems, electrical circuits, and microcomputer programming during the development of their pico FCVs. There is also the added benefit of focusing student interest on environmental consciousness while working on this project. In this paper, we will discuss the designs of the pico FCV, and will provide the running experimental results with varied gear ratios.