A collaboration between Torqeedo and Proton Motor Fuel Cell will see Torqeedo integrate hydrogen fuel cell charging into its electric propulsion systems for vessels.
The partnership will work to create a marine hydrogen hybrid building kit which integrates Torqeedo’s Deep Blue battery-electric drive systems and Proton Motor’s advanced fuel cell technology.
The system has been designed to provide power ranges from 50kW to 200kW and a fuel cell power of between 30kW and 120kW. It will have flexible options for hydrogen storage. A prototype is set to be tested and validated at Torqeedo’s engineering center near Munich, Germany.
The project, which continues under the name Ma-Hy-Hy (Marine-Hydrogen-Hybrid), is receiving funding from the Bavarian federal government from 2021 until 2024. Upon completion of the project both parties will carry out collaborative marketing and industrialization of the system.
“The hydrogen-electric Deep Blue Hybrid system will provide a practical and cost-effective solution that will allow for fast fueling, overcome speed and range limitations, and will meet the most restrictive emission requirements on environmentally sensitive waterways or in urban areas,” commented Jochen Czabke, senior vice president, product development and global service, Torqeedo.
“Integrating alternative fuels like hydrogen gives us yet another tool in the Deep Blue toolkit,” explained Czabke. “We look forward to delivering a zero-emission hybrid-electric propulsion system that will enhance the range and performance of our battery-powered drives without the use of fossil fuels.”
