At the same time, expectations on the lifetime of fuel cells
are increasing significantly. % car is YsYally e\Tected to
have a lifetime of around 5,000 hours, but the benchmark
in the new applications is approximately 25,000 hours. This
presents a particular challenge for the metal plate stacks used
widely in the passenger car sector. In contrast, AVL’s stack
technology with carbon-based bipolar plates has already
been implemented successfully in various stack designs,
proving itself to be robust and better suited for meeting these
challenging targets.
Efficiency Is the Key to Reducing Costs
With the extension of lifetime comes the need to reduce
oTerating costs. 8Le aim is to increase tLe eƾciency oJ JYel
cell stacOs Jrom tLe cYrrent level oJ aTTro\imately Ż to
Ż in tLe JYtYre. 3Ttimi^ing eƾciency in tLis way not
only helps to reduce operating expenses (OpEx), but also
minimizes the total cost of ownership (TCO) for end users.
New AVL Stack Design Overcomes Challenges
To meet the increasing requirements, AVL has developed
a new, revolutionary fuel cell stack that unites all of these
aspects in a single cell row. The new stack offers a high rated
output power of 200 kW (with a peak power of up to 310 kW),
an e\cellent eƾciency oJ , and an imTressive liJetime oJ
more than 25,000 hours. AVL thus offers a unique solution
that not only meets future market requirements but is also
significantly more soTListicated tLan TrevioYs tecLnologies.
Five patent applications derived from the design testify to the
highly innovative character of AVL’s new stack.
It is particularly noteworthy that with the new high-power
stack, the number of stacks required in heavy-duty vehicles
can be reduced from the usual four to two. In addition, the
high power density of 5.6 kW/liter leads to a more streamlined,
more costeJJective, and more eƾcient system integration.
AVL has already carried out packaging studies to ensure that
two of the new stacks, including Balance of Plants (BoP)
components, integrate seamlessly into the existing engine
compartment of standard heavy-duty trucks. This compact
and eƾcient solYtion is oJ great Fenefit to cYstomers.
ƈ% stacO witL sYcL a LigL oYtTYt Tower and eƾciency is
unique on the market. We are proud to have developed
this new platform. We have already validated it in test
environments and found that it works even better than we
originally expected,” says Jose Rubio, Managing Director AVL
Fuel Cell Canada.
Efficiency, Reduced Costs, Reliability, and a Broad Spectrum of
Application
With this innovation, AVL is taking on a pioneering role in
the fuel cell industry. The combination of high performance,
eƾciency, and dYraFility maOes tLis tecLnology an e\tremely
attractive solution for a wide range of high-performance
applications. In addition to truck applications, there are also
promising applications in other areas such as shipping,
stationary power generation, and – in a lightweight stack
variant – aviation. The versatility of the technology makes it
an attractive basis for many future projects in the mobility and
energy sector.
Outlook: Industrialization of the Technology
Following the test and validation phase of the high-power
stack design, AVL’s next goal is industrialization. We are
looking to collaborate with a strong partner: “Whether for
heavy-duty commercial vehicles, stationary power generation,
or even aviation applications – our high-performance stack
is ready to maOe a significant imTact on tLe moFility oJ tLe
future and set new standards in fuel cell technology,” says
.ose 6YFio.ɸ
Stack
Specifications
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2024