More manufacturers put hydrogen on the agenda

ALTHOUGH battery electric vehicle (BEV) development is a primary focus for most automotive manufacturers, there has been a recent resurgence of announcements relating to hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) development, as well as more players entering the race to develop hydrogen internal combustion engine (ICE) technology.

The activity includes several industry partnerships including those between Toyota and Kenworth, a joint venture comprising Stellantis, Michelin and Faurecia with Symbio, technology sharing among Honda and Isuzu, and a consortium made up of Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha.

Mindful of the driving range and recharge speed limitations of electric propulsion for heavy vehicle applications, the biggest global automotive manufacturer, Toyota, has revealed a two-pronged attack on the use of hydrogen as a fuel for such vehicles.

The Japanese manufacturer has developed purpose-built hydrogen FCEV propulsion systems integrated into vehicles but has also developed in conjunction with Kenworth Trucks a retrofit kit for diesel vehicles that convert them to hydrogen fuel cell power.

Essentially, the kit is a swap-out that replaces the diesel or petrol engine for a hydrogen fuel cell system and electric motor drivetrain. The kit was recently certified by California authorities for general use and one of just 10 such vehicles in the world made its Australian debut last week at the Brisbane Truck Show.

Meanwhile, Stellantis is making a more concerted move towards hydrogen FCEVs as a result of customer demand, as research conducted by the company has shown that its line-up of battery-electric vans don’t give certain customers sufficient range.

To address the issue, Stellantis, which already has a number of hydrogen FCEV vans available in Europe under different brands, has hooked up with a specialist hydrogen fuel cell manufacturer Symbio in a joint venture with Michelin and Faurecia, taking a third share of the new business unit.

Symbio plans to produce 50,000 fuel cells per year by 2025 with production starting in the second half of 2023.

The company plans to implement its HyMotive project that is aimed at accelerating the industrialisation and development of technologies that will enable it to reach annual production capacity in France of 100,000 hydrogen fuel cell systems by 2028.

Stellantis also aims to bolster its “leadership position” in hydrogen-powered vehicles by supporting fuel cell van production in France. The buy-in also serves as a tidy complement to Stellantis’ growing battery-electric vehicle portfolio.

Further developments along the hydrogen fuel cell road include Isuzu selecting Honda as partner to develop and supply a fuel cell system for its FCEV heavy-duty truck, scheduled to be launched in 2027.

Both companies believe that fuel cell technology, utilising hydrogen as fuel with no CO2 emissions, will be effective to achieve carbon neutrality for heavy-duty trucks with large load capacities on long-haul routes that need access to quick refuelling.

Having originally signed an agreement in January 2020 to conduct joint research on FCEV heavy trucks, Honda and Isuzu are now at the testing and validation stage, using a prototype vehicle on public roads.

Without nominating a timescale, both Honda and Isuzu have indicated they will tap into each other’s strengths to accelerate the development of clean, low-noise, low-vibration hydrogen-powered trucks. 

Addressing an elephant in the room relating to battery electric motorcycles, Japan’s four major manufacturers – Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha – have teamed up to gain approval from Japanese authorities to pursue hydrogen propulsion for small mobility applications.

Reading between the lines, the consortium is not proposing an FCEV system but to use hydrogen as a gaseous or liquid fuel that is injected into an internal combustion engine. 

To this end, Yamaha already has skin in the hydrogen ICE game as it has already partnered with Toyota on several hydrogen combustion engine prototypes.

Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has approved the four manufacturers' plan to form a technological research association called HySE (Hydrogen Small mobility & Engine technology).

In a joint statement, HySe said research and development will be targeted at commercialization of mobility with engines powered by hydrogen－deemed a next-generation energy source that is gaining momentum.

“However, the use of hydrogen poses technical challenges, including fast flame speed and a large region of ignition, which often result in unstable combustion, and the limited fuel tank capacity in case of use in small mobility vehicles,” admits HySE.

“In addressing these issues, the members of HySE are committed to conducting fundamental research, capitalising on their wealth of expertise and technologies in developing gasoline-powered engines, and aim to work together with the joint mission of establishing a design standard for small mobility’s hydrogen-powered engine, and of advancing the fundamental research endeavours in this area,” the statement said.

“Members of HySE will continue to deepen their collaborative relations in order to provide a variety of small mobility options to users and meet their diverse needs, thereby contributing to the realization of a decarbonised society. 

Various aspects of using hydrogen as a fuel will be individually carried out by the association members including a study on functionality, performance and reliability of hydrogen-powered engines and how the refuelling system will function.