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Nissan Develops New Type Of Fuel Cell Vehicle, Calls The Tech "SOFC"

Nissan is experimenting with a new power solution, called Solid Oxide Fuel Cell. The Japanese company’s SOFC-powered system works with bio-ethanol and electric power, and is the first in the world to enable a vehicle to work with an e-bio fuel-cell system.
Nissan SOFC Fuel System 3 photos
Photo: Nissan
Nissan SOFC Fuel SystemNissan SOFC Fuel System
Instead of just using hydrogen or regular fuels for generating electric energy, Nissan uses a fuel cell that harnesses the reaction of multiple fuels, including ethanol and natural gas, to produce electricity from them at a level of efficiency higher than of an internal-combustion engine.

The bio-ethanol is stored in the vehicle, and the power system uses a reformer and atmospheric oxygen to make hydrogen. During the process, the electrochemical reaction produces electricity, and the car harnesses it to power itself.

As Nissan explains in one of its infographics, the SOFC stack obtains electric energy from the air and the mixture of the reformer and the ethanol. Instead of pure ethanol, ethanol-blended water could also be used, shows the sketch published by Nissan on its media website and visible in our photo gallery.

Nissan explained that it developed this system because bio-ethanol fuels are widely available in countries in North and South America, as well as Asia. Instead of using hydrogen, which is harder to obtain, distribute, and store, Nissan decided to use this mixture.

The CO2 emissions usually emitted from a fuel-cell system are neutralized by the growing process of sugarcane, explains Nissan, thus making the process a “Carbon-Neutral Cycle.” In other words, using bio-ethanol from sugarcane for this proposed powertrain will bring “nearly no CO2 increase whatsoever.”

Nissan states that running costs for these Solid Oxide Fuel Cell vehicles will be on par with modern electric vehicles, and they can operate without the downsides of current EV systems because they are refueled just as fast as regular cars.

Another bonus of the e-Bio Fuel Cell will be the employment of ethanol-blended water. Nissan says it is easier and safer to handle than most other fuels, and it does not require an expensive infrastructure to be created.
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About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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