Case facts

Partners: AIWAYS and Blue World Technologies
Solution: Electric vehicle running on methanol
Technology: High-temperature PEM fuel cell technology using reformed methanol as fuel
System: Hybrid system with methanol reformer, fuel cell and a small battery pack
Case status: Under development

Worldwide, the climate is changing mainly due to an overload of CO₂ emitted into the atmosphere. At the same time, ambient air pollution is responsible for 4.2 million deaths each year. Even though air pollution is more intense in densely populated areas with heavy traffic, 91 % of the world’s population live in areas where air pollution exceeds the WHO guideline limits. These are real health hazards stating that we need to stop the use of fossil fuels extracted from underground and ensure zero harmful emissions in the transportation sector as it is responsible for a large proportion of air pollution.

Blue World Technologies is – in collaboration with AIWAYS, a Shanghai-based personal mobility provider – developing a methanol fuel cell system that acts as a range extender for the AIWAYS U5 all-electric SUV. Blue World Technologies and AIWAYS are focusing their development work on creating a hybrid system – including methanol reformer, fuel cell and a small battery pack – that fits into the battery box used in the U5 battery-electric version, enabling easy integration of the methanol fuel cell system into the existing platform. The methanol fuel cell system runs on pure methanol, a liquid fuel providing the same convenient driving experience with longer range and fast refuelling as known from vehicle running on liquid fossil fuels, and at the same time, the technology also helps to overcome the environmental challenges we are facing with severe air pollution and climate change.

The potential of producing methanol as a CO₂ neutral fuel with recycled CO₂ from either a concentrated CO₂ source or using direct air capture is of high value to both AIWAYS and Blue World Technologies. In addition, renewable methanol can also be made from many feedstocks such as electricity, biomass, biogas, municipal waste or direct air capture making liquid methanol a green alternative to fossil fuels. Besides, methanol also enables existing infrastructure and logistics systems to be reused during methanol storage, transportation and distribution enabling a smooth transition from fossil fuels to methanol.

The AIWAYS U5 – methanol fuel cell version – powered by the methanol fuel cell hybrid system emits zero harmful emissions and has a low overall well-to-wheel CO₂ emission level.  With an electrical efficiency of approx. 45 %, the Blue World Technologies methanol fuel cell technology ensures efficient and cost-effective use of methanol, with a refuelling time of just 3 minutes. Compared to traditional fossil fuelled vehicles, the methanol fuel cell system enables a significant fuel cost savings making the AIWAYS U5 SUV an ideal green alternative to the combustion engine.