In the first quarter of 2027, the vehicle is to be handed over to a logistics partner. The NM20 fuel cell stack, with an output of 400 kW, is the most powerful model in the EKPO portfolio. A one-stack system is to be installed in the test vehicle. The companies specify the system output as 360 kW and the efficiency as 61 percent. The stack is expected to have a lifespan of 25,000 operating hours and has been specially developed for heavy-duty applications.
The step from the fuel cell stack to the complete drive train is imminent
For validation, the partners have chosen a "heavy truck from an internationally established vehicle manufacturer," explains Akkodis upon request from H2international. However, the integration concept is manufacturer-independent and transferable to other common truck platforms for long-distance transport.
The Adecco subsidiary Akkodis, a consulting company for digital engineering, is responsible for the development of the fuel cell system and its integration into the existing truck platform up to commissioning. This includes the system architecture, component selection, high-voltage integration, control, operating strategy, and thermal management. This is how a complete fuel cell electric drive train is to be created from the individual components.
The hydrogen truck is intended to complement the test bench trials and thus serve development and validation. The critical points from real-world operation are, on the one hand, changing load profiles with inclines, braking processes, and different driving dynamics, and on the other hand, real temperature conditions.
EKPO Fuel Cell Technology is a joint venture of the automotive suppliers ElringKlinger and OPmobility. The company is a full-service provider of fuel cell stacks and components for mobile applications on land and water: passenger cars, light commercial vehicles, trucks, buses, trains, and ships.
