Silicon Valley-based HyPoint has unveiled its breakthrough hydrogen fuel cell prototype for use in the urban air mobility and aviation industries. The fuel cell has already won an award from NASA and can reach up to 2,000 watts of power per kilogram.
The fuel cell is developed by a team of international engineers and delivers high-energy-to-density ratio for more efficient and zero-emission flights. The cell is still in its prototype stage but is expected to begin shipping in 2022 to customers.
Current lithium-ion and hydrogen fuel cells have limited the adoption of zero-emission aviation, making it too costly to produce results that aren’t amazing.
Dr. Alex Ivanenko, founder and CEO of HyPoint, said:
This functional prototype brings us one step closer to our vision of delivering efficient and cost-effective zero-carbon emission fuel cell technology to the aviation industry, which is expected to contribute up to a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 if left unchecked.
During testing, HyPoint has managed to get up to 2,000 watts of power out of a kilogram fuel cell, which is around triple the power-to-weight ratio of current hydrogen fuel cell systems. It will also have a capacity of 1,500 watt-hours per kilogram of energy density, allowing for longer flights.
The prototype has passed several subsystem tests that strongly suggest that our patented technology and unique approach works — and we’re excited to use NREL’s state-of-the-art testing facilities to further validate our system. Moreover, we’re thrilled to be a part of the emerging hydrogen economy, which seeks to replace harmful fossil fuels with hydrogen, the universe’s most abundant energy source.
HyPoint’s battery technology uses compressed air for cooling and oxygen supply, allowing it to be three times lighter than liquid-cooled systems. The cell also features lightweight bipolar plates and a highly conductive corrosion-resistant coating to outperform current systems.
Val Miftakhov, founder and CEO of ZeroAvia, added:
Last year, we proved that hydrogen-electric aircraft are not only possible but inevitable — and now we are working hard to get a 100-seat zero-emission aircraft in the skies before 2030. The reality is that hydrogen fuel cells are the technological driver behind e-aircraft, and we are working closely with the team at HyPoint to test their systems for potential integration into future ZeroAvia aircraft.
The company also says that its turbo air-cooled hydrogen fuel cell system will allow companies to reduce ownership costs by around 50%, allowing them to produce low-cost urban air mobility vehicles and make it cheaper for passengers to travel in them. If you are interested in this, you can read HyPoint’s white paper to learn more.
Photo: HyPoint
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