Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Evaluations

NREL's technology validation team analyzes hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) operating in a real-world setting to identify the current status of the technology, compare it to Department of Energy (DOE) performance and durability targets, and evaluate progress between multiple generations of technology, some of which will include commercial FCEVs for the first time.

Current fuel cell electric vehicle evaluations build on the seven-year FCEV Learning Demonstration and focus on fuel cell stack durability and efficiency, vehicle range and fuel economy, driving behavior, maintenance, on-board storage, refueling, and safety.

NREL is analyzing data from a DOE-sponsored demonstration project that includes six original equipment manufacturers—GM, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota, and Honda—and up to 90 vehicles.

Participating partners share raw data with NREL via the National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center. NREL engineers perform uniform analyses on the detailed data and then report on their findings. While the raw data are secured by NREL to protect proprietary information, individualized data analysis results are provided as detailed data products to the partners who supplied the data. The analysis results are also aggregated into publicly available composite data products that show the status and progress of the technology, but don't identify individual companies.

Publications

The following publications provide more information about NREL's fuel cell electric vehicle evaluation activities and capabilities.

Review of Transportation Hydrogen Infrastructure Performance and Reliability, Jennifer Kurtz, Sam Sprik, and Thomas H. Bradley, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy (May 2019)

On-Road Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles Evaluation: Overview, Jennifer Kurtz, Sam Sprik, Genevieve Saur, and Shaun Onorato, NREL Technical Report (March 2019)

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Driving and Fueling Behavior, Jennifer Kurtz, Sam Sprik, Genevieve Saur, and Shaun Onorato, NREL Technical Report (March 2019)

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Durability and Fuel Cell Performance, Jennifer Kurtz, Sam Sprik, Genevieve Saur, and Shaun Onorato, NREL Technical Report (March 2019)

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Performance Composite Data Products: Spring 2018, Jennifer Kurtz, Sam Sprik, Chris Ainscough, Genevieve Saur, and Shaun Onorato (May 2018)

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Evaluation: 2017 Annual Merit Review, Jennifer Kurtz, Sam Sprik, Chris Ainscough, and Genevieve Saur, Presented at the 2017 DOE Annual Merit Review Meeting (June 2017)

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) Performance Composite Data Products: Spring 2017, Jennifer Kurtz, Sam Sprik, Chris Ainscough, and Genevieve Saur (May 2017)

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Evaluation, Jennifer Kurtz, Sam Sprik, Chris Ainscough, Genevieve Saur, and Matt Jeffers, Presented at the Advanced Automotive Battery Conference (June 2016)

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Evaluation: 2016 Annual Merit Review, Jennifer Kurtz, Sam Sprik, Chris Ainscough, Genevieve Saur, and Matt Jeffers, Presented at the 2016 DOE Annual Merit Review Meeting (June 2016)

Transportation Big Data: Unbiased Analysis and Tools to Inform Sustainable Transportation Decisions, NREL fact sheet (June 2016)

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) Performance Composite Data Products: Spring 2016, Jennifer Kurtz, Sam Sprik, Chris Ainscough, Genevieve Saur, and Matthew Jeffers (May 2016)

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) Evaluation, Jennifer Kurtz, Sam Sprik, Chris Ainscough, and Genevieve Saur, Presented at the Interagency Working Group Meeting (December 2015)

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Evaluation: 2015 Annual Progress Report, Jennifer Kurtz, Sam Sprik, Chris Ainscough, and Genevieve Saur, Excerpt from the 2015 DOE Annual Progress Report (December 2015)

Performance Status of Hydrogen Stations and Fuel Cell Vehicles, Sam Sprik, Jennifer Kurtz, Chris Ainscough, Michael Peters, Matt Jeffers, and Genevieve Saur, Presented at the 2015 Fuel Cell Seminar & Energy Exposition (November 2015)

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Evaluation: 2015 Annual Merit Review, Jennifer Kurtz, Sam Sprik, Chris Ainscough, and Genevieve Saur, Presented at the 2015 DOE Annual Merit Review Meeting (June 2015)

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Evaluation: 2014 Annual Progress Report, Jennifer Kurtz, Sam Sprik, and Mike Peters, Excerpt from the 2014 DOE Annual Progress Report (November 2014)

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Evaluation: 2014 Annual Merit Review, Jennifer Kurtz, Sam Sprik, and Mike Peters. Presented at the 2014 DOE Annual Merit Review Meeting (June 2014)

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Evaluation: 2013 Annual Progress Report, Jennifer Kurtz, Keith Wipke, Sam Sprik, Genevieve Saur, and Chris Ainscough, Excerpt from the 2013 DOE Annual Progress Report (December 2013)

Technology Validation of Fuel Cell Vehicles and Their Hydrogen Infrastructure, Sam Sprik, Jennifer Kurtz, Keith Wipke, Genevieve Saur, and Chris Ainscough, Presented at the 2013 Fuel Cell Seminar (November 2013)

National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center, NREL fact sheet (September 2013)

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Evaluation: 2013 Annual Merit Review, Jennifer Kurtz, Keith Wipke, Sam Sprik, Chris Ainscough, and Genevieve Saur, Presented at the 2013 DOE Annual Merit Review Meeting (May 2013)

Contacts

If you are interested in working with NREL's National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center, contact NREL's Technology Validation Team at techval@nrel.gov.

For more information about NREL's fuel cell electric vehicle evaluations, contact Jennifer Kurtz.