OEM&Lieferant Ausgabe 2/2018 / OEM&Supplier Edition 2/2018

Chinese demand for fuel cell technology There is also a growing trend towards electromobility in commercial vehicles – and ElringKlinger is ready with some concrete sol- utions. “Our PEM fuel cell stacks are used in industrial applications in the mobility sector such as light commercial and industrial ve- hicles. We also have firm inquiries for buses and trucks. Business is picking up,” says Wolf. The company is focusing mainly on China, cur- rently the leading market for electromobility. The Chinese government offers large subsidies for fuel cells – around 70,000 euros per fuel cell bus – and this has provided a massive boost. So far, ElringKlinger has been concen- trating on bipolar plates and fuel cell stacks, that is to say the heart of the system. China currently needs the full range of technology. “This means we have to provide all the sys- tems to enable Asian manufacturers to run our stack. As a result, we are keeping a close eye on the issue of system technology. We are planning to present a show truck with a fuel cell range extender,” says Armin Diez, Vice President Battery Technology & E-Mobility. The idea is that the dynamics and acceleration are handled by a smaller battery, while a small fuel cell extends the vehicle’s range. This has a number of advantages. The concept not only represents a real alternative to pure battery operation, which has to be designed for long distances, but also to pure fuel cell vehicles, which would then have to contain fuel cells with about 100-150 kW. Fuel cell or battery? Preferably both! The concept is of particular interest to the lo- gistics and transport sectors. “We have al- ready held discussions with major freight for- warders and worked through a range of scenarios. Certain routes could be covered with purely battery-powered vehicles. But it’s more difficult over longer distances because the cargo weight has to be significantly re- duced when there is a need for large, heavy batteries in order to have sufficient range. And you shouldn’t underestimate the amount of time it takes to charge this kind of battery,” adds Diez. Hydrogen has a key advantage over batteries in this respect as it is similar to refueling with gasoline or diesel. The alternative drive systems are enhanced by a range of lightweight solutions to reduce the vehicle weight and extend its range still further. ElringKlinger www.elringklinger.de/en ElringKlinger Produkte und Technologien www.elringklinger.de/en/ products-technologies ElringKlinger Career www.elringklinger.de/en/career ElringKlinger www.facebook.com/elringklinger Websites Europe’s largest trade fair for H/EV and advanced battery technology 400+ 3 8,000+ exhibitors days attendees www.evtechexpo.eu info@evtechexpo.eu Contact our team today for exhibition and sponsorship opportunities 7 – 9 May 2019 Stuttgart, Germany Co-located with BOOK NOW to secure one of the last prime locations