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Getting Methanol to Neighborhood Pumps is the Next Challenge

18 January 1999

Getting Methanol to Neighborhood Pumps is the Next Challenge, According to SAE Congress Paper

    WARRENDALE, Pa., Jan. 18 -- With an estimated two million
methanol fuel cell vehicles on highways by 2010 and 35 million by 2020, global
automakers are keeping their promise to manufacture affordable zero or
near-zero emissions vehicles while retaining liquid fuel convenience.
    Now, neighborhood "gas stations" are faced with the next challenge --
providing convenient refueling for methanol-powered vehicles.
    Two researchers at the American Methanol Institute (AMI) will detail how
U.S. and foreign service stations can reach this goal in a SAE paper to be
presented at the 1999 SAE International Congress and Exposition, March 1-4,
1999 in Cobo Center, Detroit, Michigan.
    Raymond A. Lewis and Gregory A. Dolan of AMI will state that for less than
two U.S. dollars per person, a state or nation the size of California
(30 million people) can install methanol pumps in one of every 10 retail
stations.
    "California has the largest network of methanol fueling stations," said
Lewis.  "About 100 stations serve 15,000 vehicles.  With California's
experience in building methanol fueling stations, an existing gas station can
add methanol for about $50,000."
    Methanol fuel cell vehicles are likely to be introduced in California, New
York and Massachusetts -- states requiring Zero-Emission Vehicles sales by
2003.  Germany and Japan, highly populated, pollution-conscious countries, are
also expected to be first to fuel up with methanol.
    To convert 10 percent of existing fueling stations in these five regions,
AMI estimates costs of $500 million.
    Methanol converts 38 percent of its useful energy, compared to gasoline's
19 percent.
    The researchers who wrote "Looking Beyond the Internal Combustion Engine:
The Promise of Methanol Fuel Cell Vehicles," (SAE paper # 1999-01-0531) will
discuss their findings at the SAE International Congress & Exposition,
10 a.m., March 2, Room W2-65, Cobo Center, Detroit, Michigan.
    The SAE Congress is the world's largest showcase of automotive engineering
technologies.
    For further information or to register for SAE Congress, call
1-877-SAECONG (723-2664); outside U.S./Canada, 1-724-772-4027; or visit
http://www.sae.org.