Hydrogen safety is one of the most important safety indicators in fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) (unlike in other types of alternative energy vehicles). This indicator in FCVs is directly related to the user’s personal safety in daily vehicle usage. This paper analyzes the safety standards of FCVs in confined spaces. A sealed test chamber and an appropriate test method are developed to evaluate vehicle safety based on specific test requirements. Two FCVs are subjected to static hydrogen leakage and hydrogen emission testing performed in a confined space. The results reveal that the hydrogen concentration in the vicinity of the vehicles approximates 0.0004% which is much lower than 1% while parked for 8 h during the hydrogen leakage test. In the hydrogen emission test under operating conditions, the concentration of the hydrogen gas emitted from the vehicles exceeds 2300 ppm in the vicinity, which requires careful consideration. Based on experiment and analysis, recommendations for the hydrogen safety standards of FCVs in confined spaces are proposed.

Based on a review analysis of empirical fuel cell polarization curve models in the literature, an improved model that can predict fuel cell performance with only measured current-voltage data is developed. The fitting characteristics of this new model are validated by fitting bench test data and road test data. In the case of bench test data, a comparison of the new model and two representative models is conducted, and the results show that the new model presents the best fitting effects over a whole range of current densities. Moreover, the fitted ohmic resistances derived from the new model show good agreement with the measured values obtained through a current interruption test. In the case of using road test data, the new model also presents excellent fitting characteristics and convenience for application. It is the author’s belief that the new model is beneficial for the application-oriented research of fuel cells due to its prominent features, such as conciseness, flexibility, and high accuracy.