Fuel Cell Minivan Runs on Unique, Zero Emission Fuel
Contact: Chrysler Group's Town & Country Natrium - Fuel Cell Minivan Runs on Unique, Zero Emission Fuel April 24, 2002, Auburn Hills, Mich. - The Chrysler Group has produced its third generation fuel cell concept vehicle, the Chrysler Town & Country Natrium, a minivan running on sodium boro-hydride, a compound chemically related to borax. This unique fuel and fuel cell system gives Chrysler's Natrium a range of 300 miles, comparable to a gasoline- powered vehicle and significantly longer than any fuel cell vehicle shown to date. In addition, the vehicle has zero emissions – no greenhouse gas or smog-forming compounds are produced by the vehicle. Sodium borohydride, a naturally-occurring substance used in laundry soap, is available in significant supplies in the United States and other countries. The fuel is non-toxic and nonflammable, and can be recycled, potentially providing an endless supply of fuel for transportation needs. "This unique concept vehicle represents DaimlerChrysler innovation at its best," said Bernard I. Robertson, Senior Vice President, Engineering Technologies and Regulatory Affairs. "It combines our industry-leading fuel cell vehicle development program and the creative thinking that we have come to expect from our Liberty & Technical Affairs group. "It also continues our close working relationships with key technical partners, both inside the company and around the world, to bring exciting new technologies to market," Robertson said. Natrium is the Latin word for sodium. Sodium borohydride is safe, it is available in large supplies in the U.S., and infrastructure issues are less challenging than with other fuels proposed for fuel cell vehicles. "The most important unresolved issue with fuel cell vehicles is not the fuel cell – it's the fuel," said Thomas Moore, Vice President and head of DaimlerChrysler's Liberty & Technical Affairs research and development group.
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