The BMW Group is driving the way forward for emission-free heavy-duty transport – with pilot operations of the primary hydrogen vehicles now underway at Plant Leipzig as a part of the H2Haul challenge. Demonstrating its openness to totally different applied sciences as soon as once more – together with in logistics – the BMW Group’s involvement is one part of its extra complete hydrogen technique connecting transport, manufacturing and merchandise.
Emission-free Heavy-Obligation Transport
The BMW Group is taking the following step in direction of sustainable transport logistics: two native emission-free fuel-cell vehicles are actually getting into pilot operations. A part of the European H2Haul challenge supporting hydrogen-powered freight transport, the vehicles will journey between Leipzig, Landsberg and Nuremberg to see how their drive know-how performs in on a regular basis operations. As well as, state-of-the-art hydrogen filling stations are presently underneath development at Leipzig and Hormersdorf (northeast of Nuremberg) to supply the quick refuelling needed for truck operations to succeed. The challenge is being realised by the BMW Group together with Iveco, DHL and TEAL mobility.
“The best selection of transport is vital in world logistics, as elsewhere, to maintain us future-focused and environment friendly in our work. So, transport logistics is one other space reflecting the BMW Group’s open-minded method to applied sciences. For the primary time, hydrogen-powered vehicles will assist collection manufacturing in German automobile manufacturing. Now we have been engaged on the challenge for various years now and are rolling out this pilot fleet in collaboration with our companions. It’s an vital milestone as it’s going to give us expertise of how these vehicles work in collection operations and assist us proceed enhancing this important know-how,” says Michael Nikolaides, head of Manufacturing Community and Logistics on the BMW Group.
The H2Haul challenge appears at how hydrogen gas cell-powered vehicles carry out in real-world driving and what they’ll contribute to fossil fuel-free heavy-duty transport. All in all, 16 automobiles are concerned, subsidised by the Clear Hydrogen Partnership and working throughout Europe. Of these, two are IVECO S-eWay Gas Cell vehicles on the street for the BMW Group. Findings from the pilot challenge are anticipated to assist improve the know-how and get it market-ready. A worthwhile addition to the battery-electric vehicles already on the street, the hydrogen automobiles are fast to refuel and provide vital vary. They’re additionally versatile to make use of as they’re unbiased of the charging infrastructure or grid improvement.
The BMW Group’s participation within the H2Haul challenge is a key cornerstone in its Decreased Logistics Emissions Technique. This goals to realize emission-free transport logistics, with a devoted cross-departmental staff growing measures to scale back CO₂ from the BMW Group’s street, rail and transport transport worldwide. Drive applied sciences receiving a constructive ranking are superior into pilot tasks and new plant ideas, whose emissions information is then systematically recoded to allow correct CO₂ reporting.
Gas cell know-how just isn’t all of the BMW Group is testing: it’s also concerned within the HyCET (Hydrogen Combustion Engine Vans) challenge. Sooner or later, this may see two 40-tonne and one 18-tonne truck powered by hydrogen combustion engines be part of its logistics fleet. Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV), the HyCET challenge is being applied by the BMW Group together with DHL, Volvo Vans, Deutz, KEYOU and TotalEnergies.
By testing H₂ gas cells and combustion engines concurrently, the BMW Group is remaining true to its open-minded method to applied sciences – together with in logistics. Whereas gas cells work extra effectively, combustion engines are cheaper to supply as they basically work on the identical tried-and-tested precept as a diesel. The EU ordinance lessons each hydrogen applied sciences as zero-emissions, and out on the street they’re each being trialled on the identical routes and refuelling on the identical filling stations. The purpose is to find out the most effective use case for every know-how in BMW Group logistics.
Heavy-duty transport just isn’t the one space the place the BMW Group makes use of hydrogen: it additionally makes use of it inside its personal vegetation. Plant Leipzig is taken into account a pioneer on this regard, being residence to the primary indoor hydrogen filling station in Germany since means again in 2013. Right this moment it operates 5 such amenities in addition to one of many largest fleets of gas cell-powered forklifts and tug trains in Europe. The most recent filling station even presents totally automated refuelling – one other first.
Progressive options are a defining function in manufacturing too, the place the BMW Group is the primary carmaker on the earth to roll out a brand-new kind of burner, now on stream in Plant Leipzig. The brand new bivalent system may be powered by gasoline in addition to hydrogen, and there are presently 5 such burners working in distinction roof portray for the MINI Countryman. Additional burners are presently being transformed for hydrogen, with the longer-term purpose of taking away gasoline energy utterly and lowering CO2 emissions additional. “Our imaginative and prescient at Plant Leipzig is to largely decarbonise manufacturing. We will obtain that, partly, by changing fossil fuels with hydrogen,” explains Petra Peterhänsel, Plant Director at BMW Group Plant Leipzig, taking an extended view of the plant’s total route for the long run.
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