Delphi has developed a prototype SOFC which, it says, is capable of producing up to 40% more power than the traditional internal combustion engine. At the same time, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) engineers have been working to identify ways of minimizing fuel cell life-cycle costs.
Both organizations came together to merge their resources in order to develop a cost-effective way to mass-produce Delphi’s fuel cell technology.
The Delphi/RIT project is of keen interest to the US Department of Defense, which would like to eventually implement this technology into its equipment. In addition, the technology has significant potential for commercial applications.