Freudenberg and Quantron Develop Fuel Cell System for Trucks

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies and the truck converter Quantron AG agree on cooperation for emission-free heavy-duty transport. A special fuel cell system is to be developed, which will soon be tested in real-world conditions on the road. The project is funded by the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy.

(Weinheim/Bergstrasse) Freudenberg Sealing Technologies is starting the development of a special fuel cell system for heavy-duty trucks. The company is cooperating with Quantron AG, a specialist in the field of commercial vehicle conversion. The development results are to be tested on the road in real operating conditions within a short time. The project is funded by the energy research program of the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy.

The heavy 40-ton trucks are the titans of the highways. Due to their large loading capacity, they are highly popular among freight forwarders. Although state-of-the-art technologies have been introduced in this weight class in recent years, improving environmental friendliness, safety, and efficiency, consumption and emissions remain high. This is especially true within the EU, where trucks account for 25 percent of total CO₂ emissions in the transport sector. While battery-electric vehicles can be used efficiently and environmentally friendly in urban areas, fuel cell technology is the key factor for emission-free logistics over long distances and with higher payloads. Purely battery-powered electric commercial vehicles are unsuitable for everyday operation due to long charging times and limited ranges caused by lower energy densities. The battery significantly loses range in stop-and-go traffic or congestion. An additional, time-consuming refueling stop is economically inefficient. Moreover, a battery-electric drive requires compromises regarding the possible payload.

Alternative to the 40-ton Diesel Truck

Therefore, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies aims not only to make heavy-duty transport emission-free with its fuel cell activities but also to create economically viable drive solutions. Last year, the company had already launched development projects for buses and cruise ships with partners such as FlixBus and Meyer Werft. Now, Freudenberg wants to develop and produce truck solutions in the 40-ton weight class with the commercial vehicle converter Quantron to create an emission-reduced alternative to conventional heavy-duty trucks with diesel engines. The fuel cell systems must be tested for functionality, everyday usability, and system robustness in continuous operation tests. The project is funded by the energy research program of the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy and is one of the first initiatives explicitly supporting the development of a fuel cell for use in heavy commercial vehicles. By mid-2021, a first test vehicle with the new drive technology is expected to be on the roads of Bavaria. The vehicle, named Energon, was presented to the public in early August.

“Fuel cell trucks are the only economic, emission-free alternative that allows for large payloads as well as significant ranges and fast refueling cycles,” says Dr. Manfred Stefener, Vice President Fuel Cell Systems at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies. “Therefore, we look forward to creating fuel cell applications together with Quantron AG that are specifically tailored to the maximum load and operating points of trucks.”

Clear Focus on Heavy-Duty Trucks

Fuel cells for trucks must cover completely different load and operating profiles than those for passenger cars: A passenger car typically drives a maximum of one hour per day and stands still for the remaining 23 hours. Therefore, passenger car systems are designed for only 5,000 to 8,000 operating hours. In contrast, truck systems require a minimum lifespan of 35,000 hours. Commercial vehicles earn their money exclusively in reliable continuous operation.

By focusing on heavy-duty trucks, the current project includes further innovations. These include, for example, the consistent use of lifetime-optimizing material combinations and the development of interfaces for space-optimized applications in commercial vehicles. This allows maintenance, repair, and replacement work to be carried out with minimal effort at any time, and thanks to standardization, a maximum vehicle range can be served. Fuel cell systems already available on the market were originally developed for passenger cars. For heavy-duty applications, however, all essential design aspects of the system must be optimized for long lifespans.

“The goal is to make the fuel cell fit for a long lifespan and real heavy-duty profiles, to overshadow diesel in total cost of ownership [TCO], and to bring a sustainable, emission-free alternative to the market in heavy-duty transport,” summarizes Dr. Stefener.

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has been supporting manufacturers of cars and commercial vehicles for decades in reducing consumption and emissions from internal combustion engines with sealing technology innovations. In the mid-1990s, the Freudenberg Group began researching alternative drive concepts by developing technically sophisticated components for fuel cells and batteries. The company has developed, among other things, series-ready gas diffusion layers (GDL), humidifiers, filter solutions, and seals for the fuel cell stack.

Unique Depth of Value Creation In-House

In early 2018, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies strategically complemented this know-how with the acquisition of the fuel cell manufacturer Elcore. This allows the company to offer both holistic system competence and deep value creation in the core components of the fuel cell. Shortly thereafter, the company also acquired important technological expertise in battery technology through its stake in the US battery manufacturer XALT Energy. In this way, the company has established a unique position in the market in the field of alternative or electric drives with the two future technologies of battery and fuel cell.

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies thus has a unique depth of value creation in both batteries and fuel cells: The production of gas diffusion layers, permeation-optimized sealing materials, and catalysts in-house forms the basis for a fully integrated membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) and the starting point for the future truck fuel cell. “Simply assembling purchased components is not a solution for the future heavy-duty fuel cells in large quantities,” says Claus Möhlenkamp, CEO of Freudenberg Sealing Technologies. Instead, the company focuses on the design of the overall system and the targeted further development of its material and design competencies at both the component and system levels. “With this research and development project, we are consistently pursuing our fuel cell strategy for heavy-duty applications,” Möhlenkamp continues. “Thanks to the cooperation with Quantron AG, we can bring the latest research results from the Freudenberg Group for truck fuel cells to the road in no time.”

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