Mercedes-Benz will begin, at the end of October, the delivery of the first units of the F-Cell GLC, an electric SUV powered by hydrogen, which can only be accessed under a rental contract. The German manufacturer seeks to increase its experience as part of the testing program to improve this technology.
Mercedes-Benz will begin, at the end of this month of October, the deliveries of the new GLC F-Cell, an electric SUV powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. These first units will be used as test prototypes to improve this technology, which has its biggest drawbacks in the storage and replenishment of hydrogen.
The hydrogen powered SUV from Daimler will be marketed only in rental format in exchange for a monthly fee of 799 euros per month. The main destination of this model will be the fleets of German companies, which will enjoy maintenance included and will be obliged to return the vehicle when the contract ends. In this way, this strategy becomes a real test that will help Mercedes to refine the technology.
The Mercedes GLC F-Cell combines a hydrogen fuel cell with a rechargeable battery through the electric network, which extends its autonomy for 50 kilometers, which eliminates part of the users’ worries about the shortage of service stations that supply hydrogen.
The fuel cell converts chemical energy into electricity through a reaction of hydrogen with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. The Mercedes model is capable of achieving a range of 478 kilometers between the fuel cell and the battery. Its main advantage is that recharging the hydrogen tank takes approximately three minutes.
