Slide 14

The Thermodynamic Improvement Potential in Road Vehicles

• This T I P amounted to 21.5 mtoe in 1995 - i.e. 9.8 % of the primary energy consumption.

• Many current road vehicles are powered by petrol engines of about 17 % average thermal efficiency.

• Petrol-electric Hybrid engines of about 30 % average thermal efficiency.

• Hydrogen-fuelled Fuel Cell engines of perhaps 40 % average electricity efficiency.

• Most hydrogen is made from natural gas, at an efficiency of perhaps 70 %.

• Hydrogen would require a new and very expensive infrastructure for distribution.

• Petrol-fuelled Fuel Cells would require on-board reforming, which is inefficient and expensive.

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