Advanced Automotive Technology: Visions of a Super-Efficient Family Car

inherent simplicity of a fuel cell compared to an internal combustion engine, which has hundreds of moving

parts;

operation of PEM fuel cells at temperatures below 10O°C, i.e. much lower than ICE operating temperatures;

lack of a need to control explosive events, in contrast to ICES; and

PEM cells’ chemically benign operating environment.

As discussed in the text, OTA believes that the costs of PEM cells will clearly be reduced substantially as
research and development efforts continue and economies of scale are realized with mass production at the high
volumes typical of the auto industry. The extent of these cost reductions-whether they will approach the two orders
of magnitude that are needed for market viability-remains highly uncertain, however.