The internationally agreed climate targets up to 2030 in the first step and up to 2050 in the final step are very big challenges. The transport sector, especially the commercial vehicle sector, must make a strong contribution to this. There is a frequent debate about whether battery-powered electromobility or fuel cells are the better solution. But there must be no "either/or" question here. After all, a hydrogen-powered vehicle is also an electric vehicle that draws its electricity from a chemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen in the so-called fuel cell. These two variants of e-mobility are therefore not mutually exclusive, but complement each other to provide a wide range of solutions for short and long distances in accordance with the vehicle’s application profile, and provide a variety of options for reducing companies’ CO2 foodprint. The combination of both technologies allows for alternative powered vehicles with a range of up to 400 km and a payload of up to 1,200 kg.

Cooperation with AE Driven Solutions GmbH (AEDS)

Quantron AG has been working on hydrogen propulsion for commercial vehicles since its foundation and has since then bundled many competencies in this business unit. The cooperation with AE Driven Solutions GmbH will decisively strengthen this in the segment of vans from 3.49 tons upwards. AEDS specializes in sustainable mobility and logistics concepts based on hydrogen as an energy carrier and has decades of experience and know-how in this field.

Mrs. Stefanie Peters (via NEUMAN & ESSER GROUP shareholder of AEDS) as well as Prof. Dr. Achim Kampker as shareholder of AEDS underline this statement of competence. Mrs. Peters was also appointed to the hydrogen council of the federal government. On June 10, the Federal Government adopted its national hydrogen strategy. Hydrogen is regarded as a key raw material and future-oriented energy carrier for achieving German and global climate goals. The hydrogen council serves the consistent further development of this strategy.

Advantages of the fuel cell and product range

In a hydrogen-powered vehicle, the electrochemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen produces electric current in the fuel cell, which is used as a range extender to charge the drive battery. There are decisive advantages compared to conventional combustion engines: the local freedom from emissions of CO2, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. This is because the reaction in the fuel cell produces only water vapor, which is then released into the environment during driving. Added to this are the general advantages of an e-vehicle. Because hydrogen vehicles also enjoy tax and toll exemptions as well as lower maintenance and operating costs than vehicles with conventional diesel engines.

Quantron AG is thus also bringing hydrogen propulsion to the van segment from 3.49 tonnes upwards. In the future, there will be solutions for all types of superstructures (including those with additional consumers such as refrigerated bodies) and a wide range of models from a variety of manufacturers. The decisive factor is that the focus will again be on existing vehicles that can be converted with the help of the AEDS fuel cell range extender. Thus, already existing resources are also used here, which further underpins the CO2 savings.

On the basis of the IVECO Daily, Quantron will, for example, have vehicles with 4.2 tons and 100 kW output as well as 7.2 tons and 147 kW output in its product range, which have ranges of 300 km to 500 km depending on the tank size selected.

About AE Driven Solution GmbH

AE Driven Solutions GmbH (AEDS) is a new start-up from the RWTH Aachen University environment, but one with a great deal of experience and expertise. The AEDS team has decades of experience and proven know-how in the areas of vehicle construction, compressor technology, project management, mobility and logistics. Furthermore, the NEUMAN & ESSER GROUP, a mechanical and plant engineering company founded in 1830 in Aachen, Germany, as a shareholder of AEDS brings decades of experience in the worldwide project business, especially 100 years of experience in the development and production of solutions for hydrogen compression, into the competence mix of AEDS. The aim of AEDS, based in the Aachen AVANTIS development park, is to develop sustainable mobility and logistics concepts based on hydrogen as an energy carrier. The concepts include the development and construction of a fuel cell range extender as well as the design and tendering of the necessary hydrogen infrastructure. The AEDS products are based on existing infrastructure and technical systems, which are newly combined and sensibly extended. With innovative solutions for hydrogen production, hydrogen refuelling and fuel cell systems, AE Driven Solutions GmbH can actively support cities, municipalities, public transport operators and fleet operators in the implementation of sustainable mobility concepts.

Further information can be found at https://alternative-energy.solutions/…