Equipmake has won a grant of up to £1.6 million to enable it to participate in a consortium proposing the development of an integrated hydrogen fuel cell-electric battery hybrid propulsion system. The Snetterton business says that the package will be suitable for fitment into new and mid-life vehicles of various types, including coaches and buses.
The money is being provided on a match-funded basis. Under its participation in the consortium, Equipmake will supply its motor, inverter and related technologies.
It will also develop what is described as an innovative DC-DC converter for integration into an 800v hydrogen fuel cell system and battery system. That will include development of battery management and thermal management to integrate the fuel cell, battery and powertrain with the saloon heating and cooling requirements.
Additionally, the fuel cell-electric battery hybrid system will be integrated into a Jewel E double-deck bus produced by Equipmake. That will be a new example of the type and it will be used to trial the driveline.
A spokesperson has confirmed that the hydrogen system will be retrofit suitable and that it will be compliant with coach applications. In the latter case, deployment would represent a further involvement with coaches for Equipmake after it confirmed work with operator Westway to retrofit vehicles with its battery-electric package. That programme has already opened with a Van Hool T917.
Speaking about the work on hydrogen, Equipmake CEO Ian Foley says: “We are excited to contribute our considerable electric vehicle electronic development and repowering expertise to this exciting partnership. The use of Equipmake’s technology continues to grow rapidly in projects across the UK and beyond.
“For Equipmake, participation represents the opportunity to explore an expansion of our bus repowering capabilities by demonstrating fuel cell- as well as battery-electric solutions and the potential to capitalise on the clear integration synergies between systems.”
