Long-distance road driving remains integral for the movement of people and goods, with many trucks and buses covering more than 180,000 kilometers every year. Freudenberg e-Power Systems is working together with the mobility experts Flix SE (FlixBus, Kamil Koc, Greyhound) and ZF Friedrichshafen to make long-distance transportation climate-neutral and cost-effective. One aspect of this collaboration is the HyFleet Consortium, in which the partners are working together to develop a a high-performance fuel cell system that can completely replace conventional diesel engines in bus-powertrains and produce zero emissions.
Hydrogen fuel cell systems generally offer better fuel efficiency than internal combustion engines. The Freudenberg solution gives customers the peace of mind of an expected lifetime of at least 35.000 hours / 2 million+ kilometers on the road with less than 10% of degradation under the harshest conditions.
This means that the fuel cell will not need to be replaced for the entire life of the vehicle. Throughout this time, the fuel cell's overall high efficiency level is maintained, resulting in a new reference in terms of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
The systems also require less service and have lower maintenance costs, while the refueling times for fuel cell powertrains are similar to those of modern diesel engines. There is no need for longer stops or a higher number of stops, which contributes to ensure emission-free long-distance transportation. Fuel cell technology also makes it possible to transport freight without compromising on payload.
ZF Friedrichshafen is the leading heavy-duty drivetrain expert, while FlixBus is Europe’s largest bus fleet operator with more than 4,000 long-distance buses. The common goal of the HyFleet consortium is to implement a fuel cell powertrain solution which is a minimum 10% more efficient than modern combustion engines over the full vehicle lifetime. The modular fuel cell design follows a standardized approach, enabling economies of scale for all on-road and off-road segments. The consortium is also working on hybridization strategies for powertrains, for rightsizing between fuel cells and batteries.
We are ready to answer your questions and offer advice on the most suitable e-power solutions for your heavy-duty fuel cell applications.
Contact Us