At Hannover Messe 2022, German-based technology and engineering firm EVS Hydrogen has presented hydrogen combustion technology as a direct and practical alternative to H2 fuel cell and electric drives for off-road applications.
The use of hydrogen engine works in engine applications in which the operation of fuel cells makes no sense, claims the company. The technology is able to be fully integrated into existing drive systems, it adds.
Given its advancements and advantages, the fuel cell also has massive disadvantages for certain applications like construction machinery and off-road sector. High raw material costs, redesign of machine designs, lack of reliability in off-road applications are some negatives for fuel cell-based systems in these applications.
Battery-electric drive systems, on the other hand, face issues with regard to service life of the batteries and costs, along with their dependence on charging infrastructures that are tricky in off-road landscapes.
Further, the drive technology in the off-road sector is based on rotating drives for hydraulic applications. Thus, it is important for industrial propulsion technologies to use zero-emission technology that is very similar to existing solutions.
In this regard, hydrogen combustion technology solves the fuel cell problem due to the purity requirements for air and hydrogen in off-road applications. EVS Hydrogen says the goal of their engine is to create an emission-free, future-oriented drive system. The aim is to create an easily retrofittable or integrable engine application with hydrogen for all areas of modern industry.
According to the developer, the H2 combustion engine is ideal for use in the construction industry due to its robust and simple design with few motor components and torque-controlled operational characteristics similar to a conventional diesel engine.
The hybrid design of the engine with an electric motor and combustion engine form one single unit to offer electrified and emission-free operations.
For battery-electric drive systems, our engine is ideal for use as a mobile charger or as 'range extender' with hydrogen, the company adds.
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