Munich-based hydrogen specialist Keyou is on the home straight: Following the world premiere of the 18-tonne truck and the 12-meter city bus with hydrogen drive at the IAA Transportation 2022, customer operation is imminent.
The six-cylinder in-line engines with a displacement of 7.8 liters and an output of 210 kW are based on diesel engines. The gas is injected into the intake system at a pressure of up to 15 bar, and spark plugs ensure the ignition of the gas-air mixture. Refuelling with hydrogen only takes around 15 minutes; the current tank configuration with 27 kilograms of hydrogen enables a range of around 350 kilometers. Depending on customer requirements, the installation space can be extended to enable a range of up to 600 kilometers. For hauliers and logistics companies, the hydrogen drive also pays off financially: one kilogram of hydrogen offers the same energy content as 3.3 liters of diesel.
The current tank configuration with 27 kilograms of hydrogen enables a range of around 350 kilometers
The truck prototype based on the Mercedes-Benz Actros chassis is currently doing its daily rounds at the Bundeswehr test site in Neubiberg. The engine calibration of the 18-ton truck has been completed and the integration and coordination of the various systems is nearing completion. Road operation is now imminent.
In the fourth quarter of this year, the first eight trucks will be integrated into everyday operations at pioneering customers. These trucks will be converted to hydrogen combustion and equipped with theCO2-free KEYOU-inside engine. One of the first customers is the Regensburg-based freight forwarder EP-Trans, which transports goods for well-known end customers across Europe with around 300 trucks.
The 12-meter city bus with a hydrogen engine and mild hybrid system, which was also presented by Keyou at the IAA, is not quite as far along yet. The 48-volt system with 35 kW power supports the start-up process; transmission specialist Voith contributed the Diwa NXT automatic transmission specially developed for buses. After the introduction of the trucks, Keyou wants to concentrate on the buses.
