Frankfurt 2009: Mercedes-Benz F-Cell rids the show floor of tailpipe emissions
by Jeremy Korzeniewski on Sep 17th 2009 at 8:29AM 
Mercedes-Benz F-Cell - Click above for high-res image gallery
As promised, Mercedes-Benz trotted its hydrogen fuel cell-powered F-Cell in front of the crowds at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and we were on hand to snap off a series of images. It's easy to spot the B-Class sheetmetal and underpinnings of the compact hatch, which goes to show how well the German automaker was able to integrate its space-age hydrogen drivetrain.
A 100 kW electric motor provides motive force to the front wheels, and MB claims the F-Cell will have similar performance to a 2.0 liter gas engine while returning the equivalent of 86.6 mpg on the European combined cycle. Mercedes has promised to begin leasing its new hydrogen-powered five-door hatchback in early 2010, and it's reportedly coming to America to fulfill all our zero-emission fantasies. Now, if we could just get that pesky hydrogen infrastructure problem sorted out...
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mike 8:49AM (9/17/2009)
OK correct me if I'm wrong. But are the europeans and asian auto manufactures getting signals from their govt's that they are going to mandate infrastructure. The Obama administration has no taste for it. Is it just too big to make it work in North America. Isn't Hydrogen too expensive to produce or is that the oil companies throwing up a smoke screen?
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bobnine 8:57AM (9/17/2009)
Nah the oil companies want hydrogen because its expensive to produce, which means they will be able to keep doing business in the same sort of way as they do now, but only after oil runs out.
Zamafir 9:23AM (9/17/2009)
Hydrogen? Too expensive? No. Hydrogen cars? Too expensive? Yes. Six figures+. Which is why no automaker sells them. If the cars reach a reasonable price, say tesla or less, then we may see stations popping up. But now? Limited short term leases of a few hundred world wide? Not a chance.
Tohe 9:35AM (9/17/2009)
The cheapest way to make hydrogen is by means of carbons reformation. Hydrogen is a safe bet for the survival of big oil as it prolongs the use of fossil fuels. But for the rest of us, hydrogen is not an efficient way to power our cars, it uses 3 times the energy a battery based power train uses to displaces a given vehicle, it needs heavy investment in infrastructure and requires expensive materials such as platinum for the construction of the fuel cell. As Secretary of the DOE said hydrogen needs several miracles for it to be a feasible alternative.
willbenz 7:30AM (10/12/2009)
It is cool if they actually make it viable, I think its also good that mercedes-benz are maintaining the design of hydrogen powered cars to be similar to that of standard models - this makes it more a reality and less some sci-fi dream.
http://www.ibenz.co.uk
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