E-mobility solutions provider Quantron has announced a partnership with fuel cell technology company Ballard to develop hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks. The strategic partnership will focus initially on the integration of Ballard’s FCmove heavy-duty fuel cell power modules into Quantron’s own electric drivetrains and vehicles.
At present, fuel cell electric versions of a 7.5-ton delivery truck, a 44-ton heavy duty truck and a waste collection truck are all in development, with initial deployment planned for the second part of 2022.
Through an e-mobility support program, the German government has recently announced it will cover up to 80% of the conversion costs from internal combustion engines to alternative forms of propulsion.
“This is another important milestone for Quantron’s global growth,” commented Andreas Haller, founder and chairman, Quantron. “The cooperation with Ballard enables us to bring customized hydrogen commercial vehicles with fuel cell electric drives to the market. Today we embark on a journey of joint development and production of fuel cell electric commercial vehicles.”
Quantron has also revealed that it is preparing to launch two versions of a 12m low-floor city bus. A BEV option will be available for order by the end of this year and a FCEV from spring 2022.
The battery-electric version of the city bus is capable of outputting 250kW and has a range of up to 280km, while charging power is up to 80kW with a battery capacity of up to 422kWh. Via a standard European CCS 2 plug, the transportation vehicle can be fully charged within 3-6 hours. The battery and its charging system have been adapted to be compatible with an array of charging options. The bus will have capacity for up to 95 passengers.
Quantron states that the bus will cost roughly the same as more polluting diesel bus alternatives, and will be offered in close cooperation with EV Dynamics, a European-Asian group of companies that specializes in electric and hydrogen-based mobility solutions.
