Two German companies have signed a strategic partnership to convert around 1,000 new diesel engines to hydrogen by the end of 2028 and to start large scale conversion of existing vehicles’ engines from 2029, in a bid to accelerate market demand for hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles.
Hydrogen engine specialist KEYOU and engine reconditioning expert Bücker + Essing, which is part of decarbonisation solutions giant Elvion Group, have signed a letter of intent for the joint ramp-up of hydrogen combustion engines.
The partnership aims to retrofit more than 1,000 new engines by the end of 2028, as part of the series planned by KEYOU.
Under the deal, from 2029 the retrofitting of used vehicles will begin in parallel with the new vehicle business, with the aim of retrofitting around 5,000 engines a year.
The two companies are already working together on engine conversions for KEYOU’s 18 tonne pioneer fleet and believe the conversion of combustion engines will play a key role in decarbonising the commercial vehicle industry in the future.
Bücker + Essing has years of experience in converting combustion engines to gaseous fuels and is confident it has the capacity to realize the volumes planned by KEYOU in the coming years.
Ralf Wöllert, Bücker + Essing managing director (pictured right), said: “We are proud to support this innovation project with our many years of expertise in the conversion of diesel engines to gaseous fuels and thus make an important contribution to the decarbonization of heavy goods transportation.
“The cooperation with KEYOU is an important step for us to further expand our knowledge lead in the field of hydrogen.
“We are convinced that hydrogen engines will play an important role in the technology mix of the future in the long term.”
Jaroslav Macek, Elevion Group chief executive, added: “Decarbonising the transport industry is a key lever for achieving a climate-neutral future. As a pioneer and innovator in the field of holistic decarbonization solutions, we are focusing in particular on renewable energies such as hydrogen.
“This project shows how technological innovation and strong partnerships can successfully shape the transition of mobility.”
Markus Schneider, KEYOU chief operating officer (pictured left), commented: “We have long relied on the comprehensive expertise of Bücker + Essing, which has already been a reliable partner for the engine conversion of our pioneering vehicles.
“In addition, in Bücker + Essing we have found exactly the pioneering spirit and pragmatism that we need to go full throttle right from the start and with which we are convinced that we will also achieve our scaling targets in the subsequent ramp-up phase.”
The first 40-tonne trucks based on a Daimler Actros chassis with KEYOU-inside hydrogen engines are expected to roll off the production line as early as 2026.
The model KEYOU is currently working on is based on a Daimler Actros with a 12.8 litre engine and will have an output of 346kW.
As with the 18-tonne truck, it will be equipped with 350-bar hydrogen tanks. The targeted tank volume is expected to provide a range of around 650km.
The company announced the official sales launch at the end of November with a time-limited sales offer.
Carol Millett is an award-winning freelance journalist with over 30 years’ of experience writing across a broad range of sectors, including road transport, construction and civil engineering, project management, private finance, technology, HR, and travel and tourism.View full Profile
