Automotive Engineering - November/December 2021 - 24

High on hydrogen
The whimisically-named Citroen e-Jumpy
Hydrogen commercial van is Stellantis' first
fuel-cell-electric production vehicle. It is
powered by a Symbio 45-kW fuel-cell stack
and a 10.5-kW battery that acts as a 50-km
reserve if fuel from the Faurecia-supplied
trio of 700-bar pressure tanks is depleted.
The two energy sources combine to power
the drivetrain: the hydrogen fuel cell ensures
the vehicle's range; the battery handles load
transitions such as when strong acceleration
and tackling long gradients are required.
Regenerative braking helps replenish the
transversely-mounted battery, which is
automatically charged using electricity
generated by the fuel cell to ensure a sufficient
charge level. The battery can also be charged
using a cable at EV charging stations. The
van offers a practical range of over 400 km
based on WLTP testing, according to Stellantis.
The base vehicle is produced at Stellantis'
SevelNord plant and is then transported to
Stellantis' hydrogen fuel cell R&D center in
Russelsheim, Germany, for conversion to the
hydrogen-fueled model. RamPromaster and
Opel versions also are planned.
piece approach: " establishing key partnerships, acquisitions
and sharply focused hiring. While Faurecia had done
some hydrogen R&D with the French government, the real
entrée came in 2019 - a €140 million joint venture with
tiremaking giant Michelin. The JV, called Symbio, is devoted
to making hydrogen fuel-cell kits and related hardware
and services. Faurecia then acquired CLD, a Chinabased
specialist in carbon-fiber hydrogen storage tanks.
The deal brought a contract with SAIC Motor to provide
tanks for a large fleet of commercial vehicles. In fall 2021 it
announced a partnership with Air Liquide to develop
liquified hydrogen technology. it also launched two new
hydrogen-systems development centers in France and
South Korea. A U.S. technical center is planned.
" Symbio is developing the fuel-cell stacks and
Faurecia is focusing more on the development and
manufacturing of gaseous storage systems, " March explained.
" Together we're able to provide 75 percent of
the value-add of the powertrain. So, we can really tailor
24 November/December 2021
our product to the customer's requirements, from full systems to flexible
solutions. " He added that Faurecia also supplies power electronics
for fuel-cell electric propulsion systems. With this set of capabilities,
Symbio aims to capture 25% market share and achieve a turnover of
around €1.5 billion by 2030. The joint venture will eventually have three
industrial sites supplying the Europe, Asia and U.S. mobility markets.
Faurecia currently has hydrogen-related development activities with
nine OEMs. Three of them - Hyundai, Stellantis and Renault - have
hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles fitted with Faurecia storage tanks and related
hardware entering production in 2021. The Hyundai build is 1,600
commercial trucks; Stellantis is producing a fuel-cell version of its
Citroen Jumpy light cargo van, which will carry a Ram ProMaster
badge for the U.S. market. The 'e-Jumpy' uses Faurecia storage tanks
and a Symbio fuel-cell stack.
Technology challenges
Pressure tanks for compressed-hydrogen storage are highly engineered
vessels. Their primary form factor is a cylinder, but in specialized cases
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
STELLANTIS
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