H2ME is a €170 million international, multi-partner project, which aims to demonstrate that hydrogen can support Europe’s future transport demands.
In the first stage deployment, 60 of Symbio’s Renault Kangoo ZE-H2 range-extended fuel cell vans have gone into operation in the UK and France, supporting the development of a network of hydrogen refuelling stations in those markets.
Powered by a compact 5kW fuel cell module, coupled with a hydrogen storage unit and medium-size automotive battery pack, Symbio’s range-extender kit doubles the range of Renault’s electric-only Kangoo ZE model to 320km.
In addition, in Germany, Daimler has deployed 40 B-Class F-CELL vehicles. With its 700bar, high-pressure fuel-tank system, the car has an operating range of around 400km and can be refuelled in under three minutes.
The vehicle’s electric motor develops an output of 100 kW and torque of 290 Nm.
To perform last-mile delivery in cities that prohibit polluting transport, hydrogen provides additional benefits compared to pure battery-based utility vehicles. In September, for example, logistics company CETUP’s Kangoo ZE-H2 equipped by Symbio broke a range record by covering 367km with a fully loaded battery and a full hydrogen tank.
In the coming years, the H2ME project will deploy partners’ next-generation FCEVs, including: Symbio’s next-generation FC RE-EV (Fuel Cell Range Extender Electric Vehicle) vans and Symbio Fuel Cell range-extended trucks; Honda’s second-generation FCEV; and Daimler’s next-generation Mercedes-Benz GLC F-CELL, which includes the additional energy source of a large lithium-ion battery and will feature external charging by plug-in technology for the first time.
In total, more than 1,400 FCEVs will be deployed as part of the H2ME project throughout the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia. The aim is to increase the number of FCEVs operating on Europe’s roads to build on the strong networks of hydrogen refuelling stations created by H2ME and other initiatives across the EU.