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.

TÜV Rheinland InterTraffic has been commissioned to develop a standard for hydrogen applications in rail vehicles. Until now, authorities have had to rely on technical regulations and standards from the automotive industry for conformity assessments.

Renault and fuel cell specialist Plug Power plan to establish a 50:50 joint venture in France by mid-2021. They target a share of more than 30 per cent of the fuel cell-powered light commercial vehicle (LCV) market in Europe.

South Korea’s first hydrogen-powered garbage truck entered service a few days ago in Changwon. The 5-ton truck with fuel cell will initially be tested for one year as part of a project of the South Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy with Hyundai Motor and the Korea Automotive Technology Institute.

The South Korean SK Group is investing 1.5 billion US dollars in Plug Power and acquiring just under ten per cent of the shares in the US fuel cell specialist in return.

Airbus has unveiled a new configuration as part of its ZEROe programme that could enable passenger aircraft to fly further than ever before with zero emissions. The so-called ‘pod configuration’ consists of six detachable fuel cell propeller propulsion systems mounted under the wings.

ElringKlinger is supplying 68 fuel cell short stacks to a research consortium formed by several institutes in Germany. The aim of the consortium is to develop basic principles for the necessary adaptation of the ISO standard for H2 delivery quality at filling stations.

Ballard Power Systems has received a follow-up order from the Belgian bus manufacturer Van Hool. This involves the delivery of further fuel cell modules for ten H2 buses, which are to be used from 2022 as part of the JIVE 2 support program in Emmen, the Netherlands.

Toyota will become a shareholder in Portuguese bus manufacturer CaetanoBus and passenger car financial services provider Finlog through its existing joint venture Toyota Caetano Portugal (TCAP). Through the new alliance, Toyota is entering the development, production and sales of fuel cell buses.

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy has just announced the launch of the IPCEI Hydrogen. This is a joint European project (Important Projects of Common European Interest, or IPCEI) analogous to the two initiatives already launched in the field of battery cell manufacturing.

ABB is entering into a strategic partnership with UK-based AFC Energy to develop a new generation of DC fast-charging solutions for locations with limited access to the grid. The Swiss Group will build on AFC’s system that uses fuel cells and battery backup to deliver high-power charges at remote sites.

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.

Toyota continues to drive hydrogen commercial vehicle development in Japan and the US. At home, the company and its subsidiary Hino Motors have agreed with three major retail chains to test fuel cell light commercial vehicles. In California, Toyota went full-on in with near-production heavy-duty FC trucks.

The California Energy Commission has approved a plan to invest up to $115 million to significantly increase the number of hydrogen fueling stations in the state. Up to 111 new hydrogen fueling stations will be built in California by 2027, including use by cars, trucks and buses.

Linde and Daimler Truck have signed an agreement to jointly develop the next generation of liquid hydrogen refuelling technology for fuel cell trucks.

A group of companies has applied to the European Union for funding to develop a large hydrogen ferry. The H2 ferry with the working title Europa Seaways is to have a fuel cell system with a capacity of up to 23 MW on board.

Toyota is establishing the European Fuel Cell Business Group, Toyota’s new business unit in Europe for its fuel cell and hydrogen activities. Through the Brussels-based Group, Toyota Motor Europe will work closely with industry partners, national and regional governments and organisations.

The French vehicle manufacturer Gaussin is cooperating with fuel cell specialist Plug Power to bring hydrogen fuel cell logistics vehicles to market. Gaussin also announced the commercial launch of a range of vehicles for use at airports.

The Norwegian shipbuilder Havyard wants to complete the development of its announced fuel cell system for large ships next year and has now found its own company to market the system.

The British Arcola Energy announced a new proprietary fuel cell powertrain platform, designed for heavy-duty vehicle applications. The ‘A-Drive’ architecture offers a “drop-in replacement” for diesel-based powertrains and is scalable, according to Arcola.

Hyundai has announced to cooperate with the British chemical company Ineos on the topic of hydrogen and fuel cell drives. This will involve the production and supply of hydrogen, but also a specific vehicle project.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) released its Hydrogen Program Plan to provide a strategic framework for the Department’s hydrogen research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) activities. In transport, the Hydrogen Plan focuses on hard-to-decarbonise sectors such as aviation, heavy-duty transport and marine applications.

Green Machines has just presented a street sweeper powered by hydrogen fuel cells. The GM 500H2 is based on the battery-electric GM 500ze and is offered with either a permanently installed hydrogen tank or with H2-Pod, a flexible hydrogen cartridge system.

The US company Cummins has announced the opening of a new plant in the German city of Herten, which will initially focus on the assembly of fuel cell systems for Alstom hydrogen trains. The plant is scheduled to start operations in July 2021.

The German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia has presented a hydrogen roadmap. Detailed targets for 2025 and 2030 are ambitious while it remains unclear, where the hydrogen will come from.

Managed by EIT InnoEnergy and supported by Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Fund, the new European Green Hydrogen Acceleration Center, EGHAC in short, aims to drive the green hydrogen sector in Europe. Cost reductions for industrial and heavy-duty applications take priority.

Hyundai has signed two letters of intent with Chinese companies to supply a total of 4,000 fuel cell trucks to China by 2025. This is the second major order in connection with Hyundai’s H2 truck XCIENT, following the order for 1,600 units from Switzerland.

The South Korean government has just unveiled a plan to greatly increase the number of battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell car charging and refuelling stations among other things. This latest push is an attempt to get more people driving zero-emissions cars.

ElringKlinger and Plastic Omnium are joining forces in fuel cell technology to accelerate the development of hydrogen mobility. To achieve this goal, the two companies will establish the EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies joint venture for the development, large-scale production and marketing of fuel cell stacks.

Volkswagen cements its course for battery-electric vehicles as the company put its weight down in a statement concerning a bill from Germany’s Environmental Ministry drafted to implement the EU directive on renewable energies in transport.