Vehicle

HAN Hydromotive's vehicle exists for one reason only. Namely, to accelerate the development of hydrogen-powered vehicles.

But how does the vehicle actually work?

POWERTRAIN

In essence, the vehicle is electric. The big difference from a conventional electric drive is that the battery pack has been replaced by a hydrogen tank and a fuel cell. The power of just 450 watts (about 0.6 hp) is more than enough to drive as efficiently as possible at the Shell Eco Marathon. Indeed, due to the low resistances this car experiences, only 120-170 Watts are needed on average during the race.

The fuel cell can be seen as the heart of the car. In it, hydrogen is converted into electricity and water.

On the left side of the fuel cell, hydrogen, H2, is converted by electrolysis into H+ ions, releasing 2 electrons.

These electrons then flow over a live wire towards the electrical circuit (the motor in the vehicle or, as in the picture, the light bulb) and then return to the other side of the fuel cell. Here, in fact, electrons are again demanded so that here the H+ ions and oxygen atoms can form water together.

The suspension is an essential part of the car. This includes the suspension and shock absorber combination. This makes the vehicle comfortable and safe enough to drive. The unsprung mass, the part that is not preserved from vibration by the shock absorbers, includes the wheel, of course, but also the brake discs, calipers and electric motors.

CHASSIS

To keep resistances as low as possible, care is taken to ensure that everything is finely tuned and that the brake calipers do not touch the brake discs unless there is actual braking. It is also ensured that the wheels are aligned as perfectly as possible to reduce unnecessary resistance.

BODY

Five different moulds were used to produce the body. In each of these moulds, part of the body is produced by vacuum injection. In this process, a mix of carbon and epoxy resin is placed in the mould of the body, which is then pressed by a plastic layer that is pulled against it by a vacuum. This creates five parts that make up the exterior of the vehicle.

The complete body, which thus consists of several parts, is thus detachable from the vehicle. This allows work on the internal parts at any stage. Only the bottom plate of the vehicle remains permanently fixed.