Automotive Engineering - March 2025 - 24

HYDROGEN WON'T ACCEPT
'NO' FOR AN
ANSWER
COVER STORY
" Hydrogen combustion engines also boast higher
robustness and versatility compared to fuel cells,
as they eliminate the need for high-purity H2. "
unlocking clean, efficient and affordable air transport, "
he said.
The company said that in the UK, where most of its
research takes place, it has tested a prototype of the
ZA600 hydrogen-electric engine aboard a Dornier
228, a short-take-off-and-landing (STOL) utility plane
normally powered via turboprop. The test flight carried
two fuel cells and a lithium-ion battery.
Buses, trucks
NamX's hydrogen combustion-engine car carries its H2 supply out back in six
modular capsules that can be dropped off and picked up much like propanetanks
for grills and RVs.
The number of hydrogen fuel cell buses in use worldwide
is difficult to determine, it's clear that the EU and
California are leaders in hydrogen public transportation,
which due to the daily duty cycles, make for a
great use case. Cologne, Germany, has a fleet that will
grow to 125 fuel-cell buses this year. And according to
hydrogen-tech company Hydrogenera, Cologne's
neighbor to the north, Hamburg, is converting a former
coal power plant into a hydrogen-generating electrolyzer
site.
But perhaps no project is larger than in Seoul, South
Korea. The city's goals call for a fleet of 1,300 hydrogen
buses by 2026, including the entire fleet that services
the city's main airport. It's part of a national push
to develop hydrogen as a leading source of energy
independence.
In the United States, since much of the hydrogen
Hydrogen aircraft company Zero Avia has successfully powered a Dornier 228 with
its ZA600 hydrogen-electric engine. Short-hop hydrogen aircraft will likely arrive
first, with ranges of up to 500 miles.
of the company's larger ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain that is
designed for up to 20-seat commercial aircraft.
Val Miftakhov, the company's founder and CEO, said customers are
already waiting in line. " With nearly 3,000 orders for our full powertrains
and components, achieving a first certification will be a
monumental achievement for our team and for the aviation industry,
24 March 2025
infrastructure has been spurred by federal projects and
grants, the recent change in presidential administrations
has put a question mark on future progress. AC
Transit in Oakland, for example, won a $144-million
grant last fall to expand its fleet of hydrogen buses
and improve its fueling infrastructure. However, with
some federal grants being put on hold by Elon Musk's
Department of Government Efficiency, whether the
funds will be released may be up to just-born lawsuits
about the budget cuts.
There is good news: 2024 saw the opening, also in
the Bay Area, of the nation's first 24-hour hydrogen
truck stop, operated by First Element Fuel. It serves a
fleet of Hyundai and other class-8 trucks that do
round-the-clock local hauling for the Port of Oakland.
See August's Truck & Off-Highway Engineering for
details. Many hope that this success could lead to
widespread adoption of hydrogen at the nation's
ports, which are notorious for their diesel-generated
pollution.
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
FROM TOP: NAMX; ZEROAVIA
Automotive Engineering - March 2025

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