EVS25 World Battery, Hybrid and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Symposium 1 EVS-25 Shenzhen, China, Nov. 5-9, 2010 Fuel Cell Hybrid Taxi Well-to-Wheel Life-Cycle Analysis Patricia Baptista 1,* , João Ribau 1 , João Bravo 1 , Carla Silva 1 , Paul Adcock 2 , Ashley Kells 2 1 IDMEC - Instituto Superior Técnico, UTL, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1 - 1049-001 Lisboa – Portugal 2 Intelligent Energy, Charnwood Building, Holywell Park, Ashby Road, Loughborough, LE11 3GR, UK * Corresponding author e-mail: patricia.baptista@ist.utl.pt Abstract In a collaboration led by hydrogen fuel cell developer Intelligent Energy, a fleet of classic London cabs fitted out with hydrogen fuel cell power systems will be produced, with the objective of having a small fleet ready for full road trials in time for the 2012 Olympics. This research develops the Well-to-Wheel (WTW) Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA) for two hydrogen powered vehicle powertrain options (fuel cell plug-in hybrid vehicle, PHEV-FC; and fuel cell hybrid vehicle, HEV-FC), in comparison to the conventional ICE Diesel Taxi and a full electric vehicle (EV). In terms of energy pathways, the introduction of these different vehicle technologies is associated with alternative energy sources in a Taxi fleet so the following fuel pathways are compared: diesel, considering the average European diesel fuel characteristics; electricity, considering the 2008 UK electricity generation mix; and hydrogen, considering the compressed hydrogen option from centralized natural gas reforming. This Well-to-Wheel analysis combines the Tank-to-Wheel (TTW), which accounts for the emissions and fuel consumption that result from moving the vehicle through its drive cycle, with the Well-to-Tank (WTT), which accounts for the fuel production stage. For the European certification driving cycle (NEDC), the PHEV-FC Taxi resulted in the lower WTW energy and CO 2 emissions results (2.99 MJ/km and 159 g/km), followed by the HEV-FC Taxi (3.28 MJ/km and 174 g/km), and by the EV (3.21 MJ/km and 173 g/km), compared to the ICE Diesel (3.60 MJ/km and 280 g/km). For a more demanding London driving cycle a 33, 28, 54 and 154% increase in the WTW energy consumption and CO 2 emissions is observed for the PHEV-FC Taxi, HEV-FC Taxi, EV and ICE Diesel respectively. Keywords — London Taxi, fuel cell hybrid vehicle, life cycle analysis, energy consumption, CO 2 emissions. 1. Introduction The concept of electrifying the transport sector has grown over the last couple of years by the possibility of an increasing penetration of electricity powered vehicles such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and full electric vehicles (EV). The combination of these solutions with the use of hydrogen allied is also an important prospect. These technologies are addressed as possible ways of reducing the dependency on fossil energy and of decreasing CO 2 emissions [1] and are being developed by several car manufactures. Their advantages increase especially with the introduction of renewable sources in electricity generation or hydrogen production. When comparing different vehicle technologies the most adequate methodology includes a Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA) methodology which focuses on a product’s flows during all its lifetime. A certain vehicle technology powered by a specific fuel must include in its LCA not only its utilization stage related to driving the vehicle, Tank-to-Wheel (TTW), but also the fuel production stage, Well-to-Tank (WTT), and the vehicle itself manufacturing, maintenance and recycling, Materials Cradle-to-Grave (CTG) [1]. More specifically, EVs are only powered by the battery pack stored electricity, which is discharged providing energy to the electrical motor that drives the vehicle wheels. Additionally, on deceleration events typically 10% of rear braking energy can be recovered (or 40% if front braking) and re-stored in the battery. The battery is depleted until it reaches a minimum state-of-charge (SOC), usually 20% to assure proper battery functioning [2]. EVs locally in their TTW stage they do not produce atmospheric pollutants. As for HEV, they are powered, in a series configuration, by the primary power source which can be an internal combustion engine (ICE) or a fuel cell World Electric Vehicle Journal Vol. 4 - ISSN 2032-6653 - © 2010 WEVA Page000798