Bosch to Hydrogen Fuel-cell Truck
After Daimler Truck and Volvo Trucks, German auto-maker Bosch is set to invest in hydrogen fuel-cell development and production. The symbolic production of the company’s first large-scale hydrogen fuel-cell power module started on Bosch Tech Day 2023 early this year. This technology will be integrated with the US-based Nikola Corporation’s Nikola Two Trucks to revolutionize the long-haul vehicle industry. The companies plan to roll out their first hydrogen cell-fueled commercial trucks by the end of this year.
Fine-tunes 40-ton commercial trucks to ramp up mass production of the power module
$2.8 billion Investment
In a statement to Reuters, Bosch said that it has invested 2.5 billion euros ($2.8 billion) in hydrogen fuel cell technology from 2021 to 2026, expecting to generate roughly 5 billion in sales by 2030. The planned investment was one billion euros more than earmarked in its previous investment plan for 2021-2024.
Partnership with Nikola
Along with this, the company is also designing a fleet of trucks specifically to house these hydrogen fuel cells. Nikola Corporation, America’s truck manufacturer start-up, is Bosch’s pilot customer for the 40-ton truck being fine-tuned in Phoenix, US by the Bosch team.
Christian Appel, Customer Chief Engineer, Bosch Engineering, is leading a team of engineers working on calibrating the fuel cell technology to Nikola’s indigenous Nikola Two trucks.
Nikola Two is a class-8 hydrogen-electric truck with approximately 1000hp energy and 2000 ft lbs torque. These trucks have a range of 750 to 1200 kms with zero tailpipe emission technology integration design. Nikola Two promises almost double energy expansion as compared to other EVs in this category. Nikola has collaborated with Bosch to integrate hydrogen fuel cell powertrain in Nikola Two and a concept design was launched in 2022.
Specifications of Hydrogen Truck
A truck powered by Bosch’s fuel cell can cover a distance of up to 500 kms on a full tank of 11.7kgs of hydrogen. Constant research and development is focused on increasing this mileage. Lightweight, small batteries for temporary power storage, easy to refill, and fast safety checks make these fuel cells ideal for long-hauler vehicles. Due to almost inconsequential fuel tank weight, the fleet promises more hauling capacity.
Design and Technology of Hydrogen Truck
Bosch’s engineers have some critical areas of attention like Nikola Two’s electric motors for the e-axle, the vehicle control unit, and, obviously, the hydrogen fuel cell. Bosch is also replacing the side-view mirrors with a mirror camera system and providing a keyless system in the newly-developed fleet.
Talking about the emerging technology of these fuel cells and making them compatible with the 40-ton Nikola Two production, Appel’s statement on Bosch’s official website reads, “A fuel-cell powertrain is lighter and takes up less space than its battery-driven equivalent. We’re not just improving a vehicle that has already been launched, but rather working with the customer to essentially redefine truck driving from scratch.”
Bosch-developed Hydrogen fuel cell Truck in China
Currently, Bosch-developed hydrogen fuel cells are also powering 70 trucks plying on the roads from Chongqing to Chengdu in China. The power module is the main component of Bosch’s fuel cell which triggers the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to generate energy. This energy is, shortly, stored in a small battery and is regulated by an electric control unit. After a road test by professional truck drivers to pinpoint weaknesses and areas of improvement in this powertrain technology, these long-haulers were touted as a success.
According to recent reports, Bosch expects high demand for their fuel cell technology from China. The company has further claimed that the powertrain will be a key feature in one out of five trucks weighing six tons or above by the end of 2030, with a 20% market penetration prediction.
Bosch Hydrogen fuel cell Truck India Plans
On questions about this high-end and expensive technology making it to the markets of nations still in the nascent stages of adopting EV technology, like India, Bosch officials told a leading media, “We have orders from Indian OEMs which are big household names and they wouldn’t invest in our tech if they didn’t think there would be a demand for the technology.”
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