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At UConn’s Center for Clean Energy Engineering (C2E2), engineers recently demonstrated a custom-designed go-cart featuring a hybrid-electric drivetrain.

The drivetrain pairs a hydrogen-fueled polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) stack with advanced lithium-ion batteries. Hydrogen for the fuel cell is generated from a “hydrogen-on-command” system that utilizes hydrolysis of an aluminum alloy. The experiment demonstrates the integration of these technologies together to provide extended range and power in a vehicle, particularly unmanned vehicles.

Ugur Pasaogullari, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, oversaw the project. Partners include Rolls-Royce Naval Marine Inc., Essex, Conn.; Yardney Technical Products Inc. of Pawcatuck, Conn.; and Algalco LLC of Indianapolis. C2E2 design technicians Peter Menard and Garry Barnes integrated the components of the go-cart, with Andrew Coats ’11 (ENG).

The first generation of the hybrid drivetrain go-cart was developed by Coats and John Giuliano ’11 (ENG) as part of their capstone senior design project.