Fuel Cell Works Supplemental News Page

**Report on Fuel cell marathon- Darmstadt (D)- Zurich**
Publication date: 28-May-2004 Source: AutoBild
By:Stefan Donat Everything is possible in the world of cars. But not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine that Opel boss Carl-Peter Forster, a minister and a professor would see me off on a test-drive, each of them wishing me all the best. But that's just what happened on the campus of Darmstadt Technical University, where the marathon's half-way mark was celebrated with a party featuring softdrinks and snacks. At that stage, the Zafira HydroGen3 had exactly 5474 kilometres on the clock.. There can be no doubt about who is the star of the party: our colourfully decorated van is surrounded by photographers and TV crews eager to take a peek inside. Somehow reminds me of Cannes. Hesse's minister of the environment, Wilhelm Dietzel, says what you would expect a minister of the environment to say: "People want to survive, but they also want to be mobile and stay mobile!" Agreed! A certain Mr. Schmidt asks me about the fuel tank pressure. In my blue and orange team overalls he must have mistaken me for an expert. Way off the mark. I have to leave the answer to Bernd Zerbe, head engineer for the marathon. The casual question quickly leads to an in-depth discussion of technical details. It turns out that Dr. Heinz Schmidt-Walter is a professor at Darmstadt University. He has just finished giving a lecture to his students on a very special topic: the fuel cell. Now I know why he was so happy about the press material and the biro I gave him. Next item on the agenda is a lecture by Dr. Lars Peter Thiesen on the "Future Challenges for Fuel Cell Vehicles". So, while everyone else gathered in lecture hall 93 for more theory, I was busy gathering practical experience, driving a couple of hundred kilometres down the A5, heading for Basle. Here I am, driving a mobile test stand worth 800,000 Euros. Thank God, I am not alone. Right next to me sits Peter Andres, Group Leader and my man for all eventualities We are nearing Baden-Baden, where we are supposed to stop for refuelling next to the motorway church. No problems so far. On the three lane motorway, where Mercedes drivers like to take their tuned babies to the limit, my Hydro runs along with the precision of a sewing machine. This impression is reinforced by the humming sound of the compressor. I go at a steady 130 km/h. There is a big lorry in front of me. Time for overtaking. I step gently on the accelerator. Nothing happens. Try again. Still no reaction. By now my speed has fallen to a leisurely 80 km/h and I'm making for the hard shoulder. Can this be the end of the marathon? Am I to be the last chronicler in the short history of the hydrogen car? Unthinkable. Peter Andres springs to life in a fraction of a second: "Keep coasting, don't brake." He bends over my knee and turns the ignition key, always watching the green line on the display. The minutes seem like hours. Finally, the engine springs back to life again, and we get closer to Switzerland. Peter Andres explains: "Seems like some of the 200 fuel cells have flaked out. Can happen. But we will definitely get this under control." I believe his every word and heave a deep sigh of relief. We are in time for refuelling. The Linde tank truck is waiting, hidden behind a bush. I drive into the rectangle which has been cordoned off. The Zafira gets its fill of hydrogen and we feast on coffee and cold steak. No hitches here. Our only spectator is the sexton of the church. Everything goes according to plan on the way to our next stop in Bad Bellingen. No more hickups from the car. We have time to talk about whether there will be problems at the Swiss border. Nationality sticker and vignette are already on display. Time for refuelling again. Bernd Zerbe is beside himself - for joy. "From set up to drive off, refuelling took us only 17 minutes. That's a new record. We are getting better every day" Somehow reminds me of Formula 1. Might be because the filler nozzle looks a little Ferrari-like. Check-point Bad Säckingen. We may take pictures, albeit not of the customs officers. "Grüezi, is this a hydrogen car?", the officer asks. "Yes, we are actually on a 10,000 km marathon from Hammerfest to Lisbon." "Welcome to Switzerland. Safe journey for the car of the future." ~

By:Stefan Donat

Everything is possible in the world of cars. But not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine that Opel boss Carl-Peter Forster, a minister and a professor would see me off on a test-drive, each of them wishing me all the best. But that's just what happened on the campus of Darmstadt Technical University, where the marathon's half-way mark was celebrated with a party featuring softdrinks and snacks. At that stage, the Zafira HydroGen3 had exactly 5474 kilometres on the clock..

There can be no doubt about who is the star of the party: our colourfully decorated van is surrounded by photographers and TV crews eager to take a peek inside. Somehow reminds me of Cannes. Hesse's minister of the environment, Wilhelm Dietzel, says what you would expect a minister of the environment to say: "People want to survive, but they also want to be mobile and stay mobile!" Agreed!

A certain Mr. Schmidt asks me about the fuel tank pressure. In my blue and orange team overalls he must have mistaken me for an expert. Way off the mark. I have to leave the answer to Bernd Zerbe, head engineer for the marathon. The casual question quickly leads to an in-depth discussion of technical details. It turns out that Dr. Heinz Schmidt-Walter is a professor at Darmstadt University. He has just finished giving a lecture to his students on a very special topic: the fuel cell. Now I know why he was so happy about the press material and the biro I gave him.

Next item on the agenda is a lecture by Dr. Lars Peter Thiesen on the "Future Challenges for Fuel Cell Vehicles". So, while everyone else gathered in lecture hall 93 for more theory, I was busy gathering practical experience, driving a couple of hundred kilometres down the A5, heading for Basle. Here I am, driving a mobile test stand worth 800,000 Euros. Thank God, I am not alone. Right next to me sits Peter Andres, Group Leader and my man for all eventualities

We are nearing Baden-Baden, where we are supposed to stop for refuelling next to the motorway church. No problems so far. On the three lane motorway, where Mercedes drivers like to take their tuned babies to the limit, my Hydro runs along with the precision of a sewing machine. This impression is reinforced by the humming sound of the compressor.

I go at a steady 130 km/h. There is a big lorry in front of me. Time for overtaking. I step gently on the accelerator. Nothing happens. Try again. Still no reaction. By now my speed has fallen to a leisurely 80 km/h and I'm making for the hard shoulder. Can this be the end of the marathon? Am I to be the last chronicler in the short history of the hydrogen car? Unthinkable. Peter Andres springs to life in a fraction of a second: "Keep coasting, don't brake."

He bends over my knee and turns the ignition key, always watching the green line on the display. The minutes seem like hours. Finally, the engine springs back to life again, and we get closer to Switzerland. Peter Andres explains: "Seems like some of the 200 fuel cells have flaked out. Can happen. But we will definitely get this under control." I believe his every word and heave a deep sigh of relief.

We are in time for refuelling. The Linde tank truck is waiting, hidden behind a bush. I drive into the rectangle which has been cordoned off. The Zafira gets its fill of hydrogen and we feast on coffee and cold steak. No hitches here. Our only spectator is the sexton of the church. Everything goes according to plan on the way to our next stop in Bad Bellingen. No more hickups from the car. We have time to talk about whether there will be problems at the Swiss border. Nationality sticker and vignette are already on display. Time for refuelling again. Bernd Zerbe is beside himself - for joy. "From set up to drive off, refuelling took us only 17 minutes. That's a new record. We are getting better every day"

Somehow reminds me of Formula 1. Might be because the filler nozzle looks a little Ferrari-like. Check-point Bad Säckingen. We may take pictures, albeit not of the customs officers. "Grüezi, is this a hydrogen car?", the officer asks. "Yes, we are actually on a 10,000 km marathon from Hammerfest to Lisbon." "Welcome to Switzerland. Safe journey for the car of the future."