Electric sports car refuels in three minutes

Chinese electro-mobility manufacturer, Aiways Auto, holds the Guinness World Record for the longest journey for an electric vehicle (prototype), travelling over 15,000 km (9,320 miles) from China to Germany. Roland Gumpert, formerly a director or Audi Sport, worked with the president of Aiways, Samuel Fu at VW-Audi Joint Venture China. Fu co-founded created Aiways with CEO Gary Gu in 2017. It designs and manufactures vehicles in Shangrao, China, and has R&D centres in Shanghai and Europe. It also has a battery pack factory in Changshu, China and a laboratory in Detroit, USA. Its vehicle design - the U5 SUV, which is expected to be available in Europe this year and the concept vehicle - emphasises connectivity and smart technology. It U6 Ion electric crossover coupe concept vehicle is due to be unveiled at the Beijing International Automotive Show in September 2020.

The joint venture Gumpert+Aiways was founded in 2017 and is located in Ingolstadt, Germany. Its aim is to “develop the world’s first electrically-driven super sports car with racing performance and intelligent energy technology”.  

The collaboration has resulted in Nathalie, an electric super sports car. The sports coupe, designed for the open road, not just the test track, has a top speed of 190mph (300kmh) and accelerates from 0 to 60mph (0 to 100kmph) in 2.5 seconds.

Motoring on methanol

It is powered by a 15kW methanol fuel cell (Figure 1) that produces hydrogen, converting it into electricity. This makes it practical too, as refuelling using commercially available methanol, takes just three minutes. The methanol power cell is combined with a 65- litre methanol tank and a 190kWh buffer battery. This fuel system means the car can drive in city traffic or long distances without having to use the buffer battery, says the company.

Figure 1: Nathalie First Edition uses a methanol cell, tank and a 190kWh buffer battery

Methanol fuel is popular with racing car teams. It has less energy than petrol, so an engine has to burn more methanol to get the equivalent power but methanol is better at conserving heat inside the engine – up to 10 times less heat is wasted than with petrol, so for forced induction (turbo-charging and super-charging) engines, methanol is more efficient.

The Nathalie’s methanol fuel cell permanently generates 15 kW, although Gumpert-Aiways said that the performance of the cells is expected to increase by 100 to 200 % in the next few years.

Environmentally neutral

Conventional production of methanol uses fossil deposits yet this method produces just 30k of carbon dioxide per km. If the methanol was synthesised from air and water using an electrochemical reaction, the so-called green methanol’s energy production is environmentally neutral.

The two-seater, four-wheel drive sports coupe has a long range of 510 miles at 75mph (820km at 120kmph) or 745 miles (1,200km) in eco-mode. When the battery is empty, it can still run at 75mph (120kmph).

The First Edition production car was unveiled earlier this year. Commenting on the methanol fuel cell, at the launch, Roland Gumpert said “It is currently the only version in which we will be able to provide emission-free vehicles for the future”.

He explained that his vision for an electric car is one that does not stop when the battery is empty, paving the way for what is believed to be the world’s first production car with a methanol fuel cell which does not rely on charging stations or designated hydrogen stations.

While the Nathalie prototype model had a carbon skin, the production model has a carbon chassis and a carbon-flax skin to reduce the vehicle weight further. Inside, carbon, aluminium and Kevlar provide lightweight strength for the bucket seats and full harness seatbelt. The dashboard screens can be configured to integrate smart devices into the vehicle system. 

On the starting grid

The range, the convenience of three minutes refuelling and the performance sound too good to be true. And there is a catch. Methanol is available from distributors but there is no infrastructure yet for fuelling stations, so drivers have to source the fuel from distributors or racing suppliers. The initial outlay is eye-watering, the Nathalie is priced at €407,000 (approximately £357,000 or $445,000). There are only 500 available, there is a waiting list for orders, and the first cars are not expected for delivery until the first half of 2021.