1.5　History of Fuel Cell Vehicles

Text（课文）

As early as 1839，Sir William Grove（often referred to as the“Father of the Fuel Cell”）discovered that it may be possible to generate electricity by reversing the electrolysis of water.It was not until 1889 that two researchers，Charles Langer and Ludwig Mond，coined the term“fuel cell”as they were trying to engineer the first practical fuel cell using air and coal gas.Although further attempts were made in the early 1900s to develop fuel cells that could convert coal or carbon into electricity，the advent of IC engine temporarily quashed any hopes of further development of the fledgling technology.

Francis Bacon developed what was perhaps the first successful fuel cell device in 1932，with a hydrogen-oxygen cell using alkaline electrolytes and nickel electrodes—inexpensive alternatives to the catalysts used by Mond and Langer.Due to a substantial number of technical hurdles，it was not until 1959 that Bacon and the company first demonstrated a practical 5 kW fuel cell system.Harry Karl Ihrig presented his now-famous 20-hp fuel-cell-powered tractor that same year.

Historically，the first vehicle equipped with a fuel cell was an Austin A40 modified by Karl Kordesch，in 1970，with an alkaline fuel-cell.This vehicle was equipped with a 25（N·m3）pressurized hydrogen tank installed on the roof，which ensured 300 km of autonomy；this prototype operated for three years without any particular problems.

In spite of these first encouraging results，the following prototypes were equipped with“acid polymer”or“PEM”cells，whose development corresponds to the most important research tasks of the late 1980s.The most dynamic manufacturer by far in this development，in the early 1990s was，and still remains，Daimler-Benz，now Daimler-Chrysler.Since then，the vast majority of the world's manufacturers have engaged on the same pathway.

In more recent decades，a number of manufacturers—including major automakers—and various federal agencies have supported ongoing researches into the development of fuel cell technology for use in fuel cell vehicles and other applications.Hydrogen production，storage，and distribution are the biggest challenges.Truly，fuel-cell-powered vehicles still have a long way to go to enter the market.

New words and expressions（单词和短语）

1.New words（单词）

2.Expressions（短语）

Notes to the text（难点解析）

★1.Hydrogen production，storage，and distribution are the biggest challenges.氢的生成、储存和配置是当前面临的最大挑战。

★2.Truly，fuel-cell-powered vehicles still have a long way to go to enter the market.事实上，燃料电池电动汽车进入市场仍然需要经历相当长的过程。

Exercises（练习）

◆1.Translate the following passages（expressions）into Chinese（英译汉）

（1）fuel cell

（2）in more recent decades

（3）Although further attempts were made in the early 1900s to develop fuel cells that could convert coal or carbon into electricity，the advent of IC engine temporarily quashed any hopes of further development of the fledgling technology.

◆2.Translate the following passages（expressions）into English（汉译英）

1932年Francis Bacon成功研制了也许是第一台燃料电池装置。

◆3.Directions:Answer the following questions briefly according to the text

Please introduce the“Father of the Fuel Cell”

Reading material（阅读材料）

National Aeronautics and Space Administration（NASA）also began building compact electric generators for use on space missions in the late 1950s.NASA soon came to fund hundreds of research contracts involving fuel cell technology.Fuel cells now have a proven role in the space program，after supplying electricity for several space missions.