ZF announces fuel cell partnership
The driveline specialist is partnering with fuel cell and battery firm Freudenberg to produce integrated FCEV drivetrainsJust ahead of the IAA Expo in Hanover, Germany (September 20 to 25), German-headquartered driveline heavyweight ZF has announced a new collaboration with fellow German firm and fuel cell and battery specialist, Freudenberg.
The partnership will provide a fast track for commercial vehicles transitioning to hydrogen fuel cell powered electric drivetrains, ZF says, with the union’s first fuel cell e-drive prototype to appear next year.
The partnership will initially target trucks, buses and coaches, ZF says, before also bringing off-road vehicles into the fold.
ZF’s Commercial Vehicle Solutions division will team with Freudenberg e-Power Systems to develop clean e-Drive ‘powerpack’ solutions, comprising a fuel cell and drivetrain system, while also sharing components for a variety of applications. The partnership will see Freudenberg offer scalable e-power systems in kit form, while ZF will offer complete electric driveline systems of up to 360kW of continuous power.
Related reading:
ZF launches new 'Commercial Vehicle Solutions' division
“Decarbonization is a major aim of the transport industry, and within this, fuel cell technology will be a game changer,” said Wilhelm Rehm, ZF Board Member with responsibility for Commercial Vehicle Solutions, Industrial Technology and Materials Management.
“Together with Freudenberg, we can offer a ‘one-stop-shop' solution enabling manufacturers to quickly bring e-mobility solutions to market and supporting the industry's transformation towards a more sustainable future.
“ZF’s cooperation with Freudenberg will develop highly integrated fuel cell e-drive solutions for the commercial vehicle industry. By reducing manufacturers’ development and project costs, our powerpack solutions will also help to lower the Total Cost of Ownership.”
ZF says it sees a clear trend in fuel cell technology to aid the transition to decarbonisation, and anticipates that 20 per cent of heavy-duty commercial vehicles will have adopted this means of propulsion by 2030.
“ZF will continue to take a flexible, open-minded approach to fuel cell technology as a drive solution to support this transformation,” the company says.
Tags
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.