Viritech to Explore the Use of a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Range Extender for Light Battery Electric Vehicles
- Key objective of the study will be to extend the operating envelope of battery electric vehicles (BEV’s) in use cases where current range and payload requirements are too high
- Traditional BEV last mile delivery vehicles have typically struggled with limited range and the challenging duty cycles seen across both urban and rural environments
- By utilizing portable sub-5kW fuel cells, Viritech is aiming to dramatically increase vehicle range, whilst minimizing impact on weight and payload
- In doing so, Viritech hopes to establish the feasibility of a FC REX power train for the light electric vehicle market to accelerate the transition to emissions free mobility
Viritech is delighted to confirm that it has commenced a new study to determine the potential use of a hydrogen fuel cell range extender (REX) for on-and-off highway electric vehicles. The project, supported by a grant from The Department for Business and Trade (DBT), through The Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) and Niche Vehicle Network, aims to establish the feasibility of deploying portable FCs in niche vehicle mobility applications to meet current regulation and automotive duty cycle requirements.
To date, the use of fuel cells as range extenders has only been utilised in medium to heavy commercial vehicles. However, Viritech believes that there is significant market potential in the deployment of portable fuel cells as range extenders for L-Cat vehicles to increase their potential use cases and capability.
Currently, battery electric last mile delivery vehicles are restricted in terms of their range, particularly when faced with challenging use cases such as extreme weather conditions, congested urban areas and undulating terrains. Furthermore, the addition of larger, more powerful batteries to offset these issues have an upshot of additional weight, reduced payload capacity and a potential failure to meet regulatory requirements.
By utilizing well proven and cost-effective portable fuel cells in conjunction with the vehicles existing battery pack, Viritech aims to develop a first-of-its-kind and commercially viable zero-emissions solution for niche vehicle mobility applications. In doing so, it intends to establish a gateway for creating an entirely new market for fuel cell technology to further accelerate the global transition to zero emissions mobility.
Timothy Lyons, Founder & CEO of Viritech:
Viritech is delighted to be undertaking this project and exploring the potential to accelerate the decarbonisation of a notoriously challenging segment of the automotive sector.
“The support of The Department for Business and Trade, The Advanced Propulsion Centre and The Niche Vehicle Network, is vital to British technology companies such as Viritech, enabling us to redefine the art of the possible in solving the challenges of zero-emissions mobility”
As part of the project, Viritech will now be actively seeking to engage with L-Cat vehicle OEM’s and last mile delivery operators to discuss how the FC REX powertrain can support their specific requirements. If you’re a vehicle operator looking for a viable and cost-effective zero-emissions solution, please contact us at tuur.knevels@viritech.co.uk.
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Viritech to Explore the Use of a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Range Extender for Light Battery Electric Vehicles, source
