In Balingen, dynamic wireless charging technology for electric vehicles is being tested in practice for the first time in Germany. The main actor of the pilot project is a shuttle bus for the Garden Show 2023, which is to charge its vehicle battery while driving.
The German company H2FLY, which specialises in the development of hydrogen fuel cell systems for aircraft, is taking over project management in the HEAVEN project. The project will test the first passenger aircraft flying on liquid hydrogen (LH2) in 2023.
With the prototype Zero Emission Drive Unit – Generation 1 (ZEDU-1), the German Aerospace Center (DLR), together with the automotive company HWA, has developed and successfully tested “the world’s most environmentally friendly car in operation”.
The German fuel cell aircraft developer H2FLY says it has started final preparations for the integration of liquid hydrogen tanks into the HY4 test aircraft. An intensive programme of ground tests is then scheduled to start in early 2023.
With the Interurban Vehicle (IUV), the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) has developed a concept for vehicles in the middle and upper classes. The IUV combines fuel cell, battery and new approaches to energy management.
The German engine manufacturer MTU Aero Engines is committed to creating new standards, certification regulations and verification procedures for fuel cell systems in aviation. To this end, MTU is now working closely with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
In Germany, the announced field trial with 50 BMW i3s converted for V2G has now begun for the research project ‘Bidirectional charging management – BDL’ that was launched in 2019. As of a few days ago, 20 of the BMW i3s are now in customer hands, and the remaining 30 will soon be handed over […]
A research project has started in Hamburg to test the maintenance and ground processes of future aircraft generations with alternative engines. For this purpose, an Airbus A320 is also being equipped with a hydrogen infrastructure.
The EU project FCH2RAIL (Fuel Cell Hybrid Power Pack for Rail Applications) with partners from Belgium, Germany, Spain and Portugal is developing and testing a new zero-emission train prototype. Key to the idea is a combination of electricity from overhead wires with a fuel cell power pack.
The European research project INN-BALANCE to develop a new generation of components for fuel cell vehicles has been extended until October 2021 to complete outstanding system tests. The project is dedicated to optimising peripheral fuel cell components.
In a two-year project called QuESt, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials are using a quantum computer to research new materials for more powerful batteries and fuel cells.
In the BALIS project, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) is developing a fuel cell powertrain for aircraft with an output of around 1.5 MW. This would make it possible to build a regional aircraft with 40 to 60 seats and a range of 1,000 kilometres.
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) and Norway’s SINTEF institute are researching cobalt-free lithium-ion batteries in the EU project HYDRA together with ten partners. They want to test an industry-ready prototype for real-world operation in a ship battery system.
The latest generation of the world’s first four-seater hydrogen fuel cell aircraft, the Hy4, has now been unveiled at Stuttgart Airport. The latest generation of the Hy4’s propulsion system recently received test flight permission, which means that the model can now take off at Stuttgart Airport.
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is presenting a small vehicle called the Safe Light Regional Vehicle (SLRV), which combines lightweight construction with a fuel cell drive. As the name suggests, the futuristic two-seater is also intended to be particularly safe.
Since the beginning of this year, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) has been working on the EXACT (Exploration of Electric Aircraft Concepts and Technologies) project to develop new technology components for an eco-efficient commercial aircraft – with batteries, fuel cells and hydrogen.
In the recently started research project “Bidirectional charge management”, the project partners want to develop the technologies for a charge management ready for series production. The results are to be evaluated in a field trial with 50 BMW i3 at the beginning of 2021.
Technology specialist Freudenberg Sealing Technologies and one of the largest shipyards for the construction of cruise ships, Meyer Werft, plan to equip next-gen cruise ships with fuel cell propulsion. First trials are set for 2021.
Siemens, the Institute for Climate Protection, Energy and Mobility (IKEM), the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and Hamburger Hochbahn are all busy to launch a self-driving electric shuttle as part of Hamburg’s public transport offering.
A new scheme is to clean the air over the German capital by installing on-street charging infrastructure. With lamp post charging provider Ubitricity at the centre, the consortium is planning to add 1,600 public and private charge points to Berlin’s network beginning this year.
A new EU project called E-MAGIC (European Magnesium Interactive Battery Community) that was recently funded with 6.5 million euros, will focus on the development of a new type of magnesium-based battery for electrified vehicles, among other uses.
The German fuel BP subsidiary Aral asked the German Aerospace Center (DLR) to study how gas stations may look like in the future. The vision entails services for self-driving cars, landing spots for air taxis and more charging stations than fuel pumps.
Researchers from the German centre for aviation (DLR) have created a new body concept for small size electrified vehicles as part of the project Next Generation Car.
The German center for aerospace (DLR) has lauded the winners of the competition they organized in cooperation with NASA for design ideas regarding future flight technology. The winners were a team from the technical university in Munich.
The Fuel Cell Power Pack (FCPP) developed by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) is a novel system specifically design for electric cargo bikes. It has twice the range and durability of comparable battery-electric pedelec systems, the researchers say.
Scotland’s Ferguson Shipbuilders have managed to secure funding through the EU project HySeas III. With partners such as the Ballard or DLR and from different European countries they will build the world’s first sea going ferry running on fuel cells powered by hydrogen from renewables.
EU funded INN-BALANCE project sees nine partners strive to optimise auxiliary components in fuel cell vehicles since last summer. Now they report significant progress, specifically when it comes to design and cooling.
Click tip: Another photo of the upcoming Nissan Leaf has appeared in the internet – showing the model without camouflage, but also quite blurred. Besides that, a new video clip has been launched in Japan, putting the new Leaf’s autonomous capabilities into the spotlight. carscoops.com (photo), autoblog.com (video clip)
Reading tip: Exxon Mobil, BP, the International Energy Agency and OPEC have all something in common: They all revised their forecasts, predicting now that EV market growth will develop faster than thought before. about.bnef.com
Cool and automated Tesla charging? Tesla’s engineers are working on the next-gen Supercharger which shall deliver an output beyond the mark of 350 kW reportedly. A recently released patent shows a fast-charging application with an external cooling system that could be the key factor to enable powerful charge rates. Although mounted in the ground, the system depicted represents not an inductive but a wired system that could indeed provide not only rapid but automated charging. electrek.co
A hybrid for earth and air: Slovakian AeroMobil impressed at Monaco’s Top Marques Show with version no. 4 of its flying car. Thanks to electric power the AeroMobil 4.0 reaches up to 160 kph on the ground but is said to transform into an aircraft in only three minutes. Once airborne, it relies on a combustion engine to achieve a maximum speed of 360 kph. Pre-orders for not less than 1.3m dollars are already possible, although delivery won’t start before 2020. arstechnica.com, autoexpress.co.uk
Brose opens head office in China: German supplier Brose has opened a new HQ and facility in Shanghai. There, 600 employees are to operate the company’s 12 sites in China and six facilities and sales offices in Japan, Korea and Thailand. Brose seeks to further expand development in 48-volt applications on the Asian market. automotiveworld.com, brose.com
Innovative air-condition: The German Aerospace Centre (DLR) equips their “Next Generation Car” with auxiliary units for air-conditioning. The system bases on a thermochemical solution and works for EVs as well as FCVs. A prototype is currently on display in Hannover. greencarcongress.com, dlr.de
Mail delivery by electric scooters: The team of TUM Create, the joint research project of the technical universities of Munich and Nanyang, developed a three-wheel electric vehicle for mail delivery. It is about to prove its suitability for everyday use as the Singapore Post Ltd. will start a road trial this week. The prototype comes with modular batteries in order to suit various routes. So far, Singapore’s mail service operates a fleet of 674 petrol-driven scooters. postandparcel.info, tum-create.edu.sg, youtube.com
A123 opens plant in Czech Republic: Besides its facilities in the States and China, Wanxiang subsidiary A123 Systems has established a new site in Czech Ostrava. The battery manufacturer seeks to produce more than 600,000 units of its 12V starter battery and next-gen 48V system a year here. a123systems.com
German-Japanese research: The German Aerospace Centre (DLR) and the Japanese National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology are expanding their scientific cooperation. Both state-funded organisations carry out application-orientated energy research. The first common topics to deal with will be efficient thermoelectric energy converters and battery research. dlr.de
Charger trial at the Airport: EV charging start-up Zapinamo secured 3.1m pounds by Innovate UK to deploy a mobile charger as part of a pilot project with Heathrow Airport. The prototype is said to charge several electric vehicles simultaneously at speeds of up to 400kW. businessgreen.com, zapinamo.com