APC project integrates Intelligent Energy fuel cells for SUVs, buses

NEWS and commercial electric vehicle manufacturer StreetScooter will develop a new electric delivery vehicle. The H2 Panel Van will be the first series production 4.25 tonne electric van with a fuel cell range-extender, giving it a range of up to 500 km (310 miles) [June 2019, p2]. As a first step, DHL Express has ordered 100 vehicles, with delivery in 2020 and 2021. In the Trucks: MAN & Shell project (funding: E8.1 million, $9 million), truck builder MAN is developing a long-distance fuel cell electric truck with its partners Anleg GmbH and the Technical University of Braunschweig. MAN is responsible for the overall vehicle structure, integration of the fuel cell systems, and the electric drive. The hydrogen storage system is being developed by Anleg, while TU Braunschweig is supporting the design of the thermal management and operating strategy. Shell is developing the associated infrastructure, focused on a scalable compressed hydrogen refueling station. The partners will examine to what extent the refueling of heavy-duty vehicles at 500 bar represents a viable compromise between range and infrastructure costs and hydrogen provision as an alternative to the more complex 700 bar passenger car refueling technology. The project has close ties with the European PRHYDE project to develop hydrogen filling protocols for heavy-duty applications and other standardisation activities. The Public transport: EvoBus/Daimler project (funding: E3.3 million, $3.6 million) – also known as ECell-Rex – will develop a fuel cell range-extender for battery-powered city buses. Günsel Fördertechnik und Fahrzeugbau GmbH (funding: E1 million, $1.1 million) will procure 89 hydrogen-powered materials handling vehicles for intralogistics at the BMW plant in Leipzig [January 2019, p3, and see the News Feature in January 2016]. CleverShuttle (funding: E755 000, $832 000) offers ride-pooling services in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Dresden, Kiel and Leipzig using battery-electric or hydrogen-powered vehicles [June 2018, p5]. The procurement funding will support the purchase of a total of 50 vehicles. The Faun: Waste disposal vehicles project (funding: E521 000, $575 000) will develop and manufacture a waste collection vehicle and a street sweeper with a modular system of hydrogen tanks and fuel cells, to increase the range and/or improve the speed profile [July 2011, p3]. The waste collection vehicles to be electrified by Faun can be equipped with the modular system ex-works or during the lifetime of the vehicle. Both prototypes will test and confirm the design and feasibility of the planned energy supply system, and achieve the necessary

November 2019

approvals. Ten waste collection vehicles and two sweepers are planned; field-test vehicles have already been sold to customers. National Innovation Programme Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology: http://tinyurl.com/nip-h2fc-tech

PowerCell extra order for S3 stacks, launches Chinese subsidiary

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owerCell Sweden has received a new follow-on order for S3 fuel cell stacks from a global automotive OEM, for testing. The company has also received approval to establish its Chinese subsidiary, which will be located in Shanghai. The follow-on order for S3 stacks, from an unnamed global automotive OEM, is worth some SEK7.7 million (US$800 000), with delivery expected before the end of the year. This is the second, quick follow-on order for the PowerCell S3 stack from the OEM, which in September placed an order worth SEK2.6 million ($270 000) [FCB, October 2019, p15]. The OEM had previously also placed orders for S3 stacks and a PowerCell MS-100 fuel cell system for testing and evaluation [June 2018, p11]. The PowerCell S3 PEM fuel cell stack features high power density with compact design and low weight, and has been specifically designed and developed for automotive applications [February 2016, p10, and see page 4 in this issue]. PowerCell has also received all the permits needed to establish its Chinese subsidiary, PowerCell Fuel Cell (Shanghai) Co Ltd. The office will be located in Shanghai, where recruitment of local employees has started. Yibo Zhao, currently responsible for Asian sales, has been appointed as its manager. The PowerCell S2 fuel cell stack is ideally suited for the Chinese market [April 2017, p12], where it has generated sales with several customers [e.g. June 2019, p14]. Several buses equipped with the PowerCell S2 stack are running in daily field tests in China. PowerCell Sweden: www.powercell.se

APC project integrates Intelligent Energy fuel cells for SUVs, buses

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n the UK, the Advanced Propulsion Centre is funding a project to integrate Intelligent Energy’s high-power fuel

cell system into SUVs for Changan, China’s fourth-largest car manufacturer, and buses for UK bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis Ltd (ADL). Project Esther, led by Intelligent Energy, is one of three recently awarded a total of £25.4 million (US$32.6 million) by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) through Innovate UK. In the other projects, Jaguar Land Rover will create an electric drive unit, and Equipmake will develop a novel electric bus architecture. Under Project Esther, fuel cell stacks and systems in the 30–120 kW range will be developed based on Intelligent Energy’s highpower, metal-plate PEM fuel cell technology, proven in bus and passenger car applications. This optimised, compact design with reduced balance-of-plant (BOP) will ultimately offer a highly competitive option for automakers looking to mass-produce fuel cell powertrains. Intelligent Energy [see also pages 8 and 12] will establish a UK fuel cell production capability to deliver zeroemission drivetrain solutions for large passenger cars, buses, and heavy-duty transport. Changan UK R&D Centre and Chongqing Changan New Energy Automobile Technology Co Ltd will research key FCEV technologies and develop a prototype fuel cell passenger car with the IE fuel cell system. This research and vehicle performance and reliability trials will support mass production of a fuel cell passenger car for the Chinese and UK markets by 2025. Last autumn ADL demonstrated fuel cell technology – not supplied by Intelligent Energy – in an Enviro400 double-decker bus, developed in collaboration with Arcola Energy [December 2018, p4]. Advanced Propulsion Centre UK: www.apcuk.co.uk Intelligent Energy: www.intelligent-energy.com Changan UK R&D Centre: www.changanuk.com Changan Automobile Co Ltd: www.globalchangan.com Alexander Dennis Ltd: www.alexander-dennis.com

Hyundai investments in Impact Coatings, H2Pro and GRZ

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outh Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Company has announced key investments in three companies – Impact Coatings in Sweden, H2Pro in Israel, and GRZ Technologies in Switzerland – to enhance its leadership position in the global hydrogen fuel cell ecosystem. The investments will strengthen Hyundai’s hydrogen leadership with

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