A truck with a hydrogen fuel-cell drive will take to the streets of the greater Stuttgart area this fall. The prototype of the all-electric truck, which has a gross vehicle weight of 26 metric tons, is currently being built within the Hylix-B project. “We want to demonstrate that a fuel-cell truck can be built using components available on the market today,” explains Sebastian Wider, one of the project initiators. “We have the technology, and it’s safe and ready to go.”
Bespoke tank systems with a 350-bar pressure rating
As a systems supplier, Wystrach is providing the hydrogen tank system for the prototype, bringing its vertical integration and its experience with hydrogen applications to the table. “We worked in close coordination with Wystrach to come up with a bespoke tank system and first-class solutions for complex elements, such as the connection between the tank and vehicle,” Wider explains. The installed system comprises five 350-liter tanks, providing capacity for about 40 kilograms of hydrogen at a pressure rating of 350 bar. “Our system operates at a supply pressure of 9 bar and features various safety elements and sensors,” says Robert Stockmann, technical product designer and project lead at Wystrach.
The sharing of experience and a partnership of equals are hallmarks of the Hylix-B project. In fact, the Reallabor project hub is designed to facilitate close collaboration among developers of the individual components and the core team. Led by Prof. Ralf Wörner, a team at Esslingen University of Applied Sciences is managing the project, which aims to research the practicality, economic viability, and social acceptance of using fuel-cell technology in trucks. Funding for the Hylix-B project is provided by the Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection, and the Energy Sector Baden-Württemberg.
Range of 400 kilometers
“Our prototype will have a range of about 400 kilometers and will be more cost-effective to operate than existing zero-emissions alternatives,” Wider says. “Collaborating so intensively with our partners means we know the components and their optimization potential inside out – and naturally we’ll apply those insights as we continue to develop the technology.”
Bespoke tank systems with a 350-bar pressure rating
As a systems supplier, Wystrach is providing the hydrogen tank system for the prototype, bringing its vertical integration and its experience with hydrogen applications to the table. “We worked in close coordination with Wystrach to come up with a bespoke tank system and first-class solutions for complex elements, such as the connection between the tank and vehicle,” Wider explains. The installed system comprises five 350-liter tanks, providing capacity for about 40 kilograms of hydrogen at a pressure rating of 350 bar. “Our system operates at a supply pressure of 9 bar and features various safety elements and sensors,” says Robert Stockmann, technical product designer and project lead at Wystrach.
The sharing of experience and a partnership of equals are hallmarks of the Hylix-B project. In fact, the Reallabor project hub is designed to facilitate close collaboration among developers of the individual components and the core team. Led by Prof. Ralf Wörner, a team at Esslingen University of Applied Sciences is managing the project, which aims to research the practicality, economic viability, and social acceptance of using fuel-cell technology in trucks. Funding for the Hylix-B project is provided by the Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection, and the Energy Sector Baden-Württemberg.
Range of 400 kilometers
“Our prototype will have a range of about 400 kilometers and will be more cost-effective to operate than existing zero-emissions alternatives,” Wider says. “Collaborating so intensively with our partners means we know the components and their optimization potential inside out – and naturally we’ll apply those insights as we continue to develop the technology.”
