Evaluation of the efficiency of fuel cell vehicle in real driving conditions

The trend towards zero-emission vehicle propulsion results in a fuel cell system working in conjunction with an electric motor and battery system. The research carried out in this study concerns the evaluation of fuel cell performance made without any interference to the drivetrain. The article aims to fill a gap in research on the efficiency of fuel cells vehicle using a non-invasive method in real traffic conditions, which is lacking in the literature. The research was conducted using a 128 kW FCHEV under typical traffic conditions. As part of the work, the propulsion efficiency was determined for each driving phase. The following fuel cell efficiency values were obtained in the urban, suburban and highway phases: 51, 56 and 66% respectively. The values obtained are very close to the direct tests, while completely eliminating the need to modify the powertrain in order to determine the fuel cell efficiency.