Platinum-based hydrogen fuel cells facilitate off-grid recharging for EVs

Earlier this year, Chongya, in partnership with China-based international hydrogen energy technology company REFIRE, debuted its hydrogen fuel cell-powered off-grid supercharger for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) at a service station near the city of Rugao in Jiangsu province, China.

The supercharger, which deploys platinum-based proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology, can fully recharge a BEV in only ten minutes, delivering up to 480kW of electricity in a footprint that is less than four square metres.

The entire charging system can be placed almost anywhere without additional construction or grid-connection requirements, meaning that location can be selected by demand density, rather than by electrical connectivity or high-power availability.

The International Energy Agency estimates that by 2040 electricity demand for transportation will grow by more than one-third and there is no doubt that BEV market growth and the consequent need for recharging is generating demand for reliable power in more places.

In the US, for example, there will be an estimated 48 million BEVs on the road by 2030.