Mercedes-Benz, a DaimlerChrysler AG (Auburn Hills, MI) division, will be displaying the latest DaimlerChrysler fuel cell vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show, January 4-11, 2004, in the Los Angeles Convention Center. Based on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class model currently sold abroad, the F-Cell fuel cell vehicle is fueled by compressed hydrogen.
During 2004, the F-Cell fleet in the US will expand gradually in Detroit, MI; Sacramento, CA; and Los Angeles. The Mercedes-Benz F-Cell fleet represents a next step in the production of zero-emission vehicles. The hydrogen-powered F-Cell cars are being built in conventional manufacturing facilities and will be tested by corporate and municipal customers for feedback in "everyday-use" situations.
In the F-Cell, the entire fuel cell system is housed between the bi-level "sandwich" floors of the A-Class, a compact Mercedes-Benz model not yet sold in the US. The fuel cell, actually a stack of proton-exchange membranes, is supplied by tanks of hydrogen that are compressed to around 5,000lbs/in². The electric motor produces 65kW, which translates to about 155 ft-lb of torque and 87HP.
