The　storage　problem　at　low　temperatures　is　one　of　the　technical　barriers　to　commercialization　in　the　future　for　the　polymer　electrolyte　membrane　fuel　cell　(PEMFC).　In　this　study,　the　resistance　relaxation　characteristic　under　different　pretreatment　methods　before　lowtemperature　storage　of　PEMFC　is　analyzed.　The　effect　of　residual　water　in　different　PEMFC　locations　on　its　storage　performance　after　thermal　cycles　are　investigated.　The　evolution　curves　of　resistance　after　the　purging　process　are　different　under　equilibrium,　cold,　and　hot　purge　and　the　percentage　drop　of　cell　resistance　at　relaxation　stage　under　three　methods　are　14.5%,　66.3%,　and　73.1%.　It　is　found　that　the　most　likely　reason　for　relaxation　is　membrane　water　structure　reorganization.　The　voltage　of　the　cell　with　no　purge　and　purged　to　the　end　of　the　first　stage　becomes　smaller　at　low　current　density　after　20　freeze/　thaw　cycles.　The　charge　transfer　resistances　of　the　cell　with　no　purge,　purged　to　the　end　of　the　first　stage,　and　purged　to　the　end　of　the　second　stage　increase　by　8.2%,　15.6%,　and　7.4%,　respectively.　And　the　cell　purged　to　the　end　of　the　first　stage　has　the　largest　decay　rate　of　electrochemical　surface　area.　The　result　implies　that　the　performance　degradation　after　freeze/thaw　cycles　is　associated　with　the　water　in　the　ionomer　of　catalyst　layers,　which　freezes　between　ionomers　and　Pt　particles　at　low　temperatures.　(c)　2021　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd　on　behalf　of　Hydrogen　Energy　Publications　LLC.