The Chair "Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components" (PEM) of RWTH Aachen has completed the research project with the acronym SeLv after more than five years. The goal was to develop a modular drive system for heavy commercial vehicles that combines a hydrogen-powered fuel cell with a high-voltage battery. The system is intended to enable rapid industrialization and is aimed at vehicle manufacturers, converters, and niche markets such as the construction machinery sector.
Range from 750 to over 1,000 kilometers
At the end of the project, the PEM team presented a third prototype truck, which, as the second vehicle of the project, has official road approval. The platform allows for the integration of different battery, hydrogen, and thermal management technologies as well as software solutions. "The SeLv truck is a real platform with road approval," says PEM head Professor Achim Kampker. "Future interested parties can build on this and receive support in developing it into a series product."
The truck's drive delivers a peak power of just under 640 hp and a continuous power of around 544 hp. Depending on the size of the hydrogen tanks behind the cabin, a range of 750 to over 1,000 kilometers should be possible. An integrated navigation system calculates routes based on the available hydrogen and charging infrastructure.
Funded with 17 million euros by the government
An intelligent energy management system distributes power between the battery and the fuel cell depending on the driving profile to optimize efficiency. "A major hurdle during development was that many components for the electrification of heavy commercial vehicles only existed as prototypes and were not available on the market," says Michael Betz, homologation manager in the project.
The project was funded with around 17 million euros as part of the Mobility and Fuel Strategy (MKS) of the Federal Government of Germany. Project manager Michael Demming emphasizes: "A young research team and experienced specialists from development have uniquely combined industrial standards with new scientific approaches."
