Dana Corporation Showcases Fuel-Cell Advancements At Convergence 2004 Automotive Electronics Show

Toledo, Ohio -- Oct 18, 2004 -- Dana Corporation (NYSE: DCN) today unveiled a number of new fuel-cell advancements at the Convergence 2004 automotive electronics show in Detroit.  The advancements are featured on a fuel-cell scooter developed with Dana partners. One of just three in the world, the scooter is making its North American debut at Convergence.

Dana developed a number of fuel-cell components on the scooter, including bi-polar plates, end caps, heat exchangers, pumps, and valves.  Since it was first unveiled in April at the Hannover Industrial Fair in Germany, the scooter now features an improved, composite-bonded bi-polar plate.

Dana Chairman and CEO Michael J. Burns said, “The valuable product and system knowledge Dana gained with this project will benefit our fuel-cell customers and partners as we take the next steps toward developing   technically and commercially viable fuel-cell components for stationary and automotive applications.”

Over the course of the project, Dana engineers developed several inventions, including two patentable discoveries.  The sealing technology developed for the composite bi-polar plates is currently being provided to a customer for a residential fuel-cell application.  The metal plate seal design also offers a low-cost option for high-volume production.  

“Dana has an established global network of support centers for fuel-cell research, each with a specific area of product expertise,” said Mike Laisure, president of Dana’s Automotive Systems Group.  “Our goal is to help fuel-cell integrators succeed by making this a commercially viable power source for the future.”

Combining expertise from the institute Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung (ZSW) and motorcycle manufacturer Motorrad- und Zweiradwerk GmbH (MZ), Dana scientists and engineers developed future-generation fuel-cell components that were incorporated into scooters. 

ZSW functionally integrated the stack, controls, and hydrogen fueling system.   A research institute working in the field of renewable energies and electrochemical energy technology, ZSW, of Ulm, Germany, has nearly 15 years of experience in fuel cell design, operation, and testing. 

The scooter is based on the Charly battery-powered scooter built and supplied by MZ of Zschopau-Hohndorf, Germany.  In addition to providing the scooter, MZ assisted in providing custom designed frames, bodywork, and wiring to support the fuel-cell system.   

Visitors to the Dana exhibit will be encouraged to experience first-hand the quiet, emission-free fuel-cell scooter by giving it power.

Dana Corporation is a global leader in the design, engineering, and manufacture of value-added products and systems for automotive, commercial, and off-highway vehicles.  Delivering on a century of innovation, the company’s continuing operations employ approximately 45,000 people worldwide dedicated to advancing the science of mobility.  Founded in 1904 and based in Toledo, Ohio, Dana operates technology, manufacturing, and customer-service facilities in 30 countries.  Sales from continuing operations totaled $7.9 billion in 2003.

 

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Note to Editors: For more information on Dana’s fuel-cell technology and to view the scooter, visit Booth 709 at Convergence 2004 in Detroit.