Hydrogen is a promising energy carrier for carbon neutral heavy-duty transportation applications, as it has the potential for fast refueling and can be used to power fuel cells or ICEs. Unlike fuel cell technology, hydrogen ICEs enable carbon neutral transportation utilizing existing base engine technology. Powertrain efficiency will be a key success factor to ensure affordable hydrogen truck and bus solutions.
In order to increase efficiency and therefore improve fuel consumption of current spark ignited hydrogen ICEs, TUPY, Westport and AVL will jointly work on the development of an HPDI H2-ICE. To deal with high peak firing pressures, superior materials, casting and machining technologies are required. AVL successfully completed the development of the AVL Hydrogen Engine in collaboration with Graz University of Technology earlier this year, while Westport has also previously demonstrated successful startup and trials of heavy-duty ICEs running on H2 using HPDI. First testbed results of this new joint development program with AVL, TUPY and Westport are expected by early 2022.
