Patent ID: 7389839

Claim:
A hybrid drive for a motor vehicle of the type having a thermal engine that can be operated with a hydrocarbon containing fuel suitable for generating hydrogen, a fuel storage tank for storing said fuel, an energy storage device in which the energy generated by the thermal engine can be stored, and a drive motor whose operating state depends on the energy from the thermal engine and/or the energy storage device, said hybrid drive comprising: an alternating current to energy converter for producing and storing energy in the energy storage device prior to starting of a hybrid drive for a motor vehicle; a hydrogen storage device located on said motor vehicle; a hydrogen-generating unit operatively connected to the fuel storage tank and to said hydrogen storage device for receiving a hydrocarbon containing fuel and for generating hydrogen therefrom and prior to starting or operation of the hybrid drive for a motor vehicle storing hydrogen in said hydrogen storage device and wherein said thermal engine can be operated alternatively on hydrogen generated by said hydrogen-generating unit or hydrogen stored in said hydrogen storage device; said thermal engine being configured for optional operation on fuel from said storage tank when said motor vehicle is in a higher driving load range, and for operation on at least one of hydrogen generated by said hydrogen-generating unit and hydrogen stored in said hydrogen storage device when said motor vehicle is in a lower driving range; a control device for selectively apply both a control signal to said hydrogen-generating unit for receiving a hydrocarbon containing fuel and for generating hydrogen therefrom and prior to starting or operation of the hybrid drive for a motor vehicle storing hydrogen in said hydrogen storage device and wherein said thermal engine can be operated alternatively on hydrogen generated by said hydrogen-generating unit or hydrogen stored in said hydrogen storage device; and a hydrogen fuel cell configured to receive hydrogen as an input combustible material and to produce a direct current voltage as an output, said hydrogen fuel cell being operatively connected to said hydrogen storage device located on said motor vehicle; and wherein said control device applies said direct current voltage produced by said hydrogen fuel cell to said direct current voltage storage device or a direct current motor for driving the motor vehicle and wherein the combustion engine is configured for optional operation on fuel from said storage tank when said vehicle is in a higher driving load range, and for optional operation on hydrogen from said hydrogen-generating unit or hydrogen from said hydrogen storage device when said vehicle is in a lower driving range.