Horizon unveils 400 kW fuel cell for heavy-duty commercial vehicles
In addition to a high power output, the VLS-IV fuel cell offers advantages like high fault tolerance and a long lifespan, all at a low cost. Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies calls the new product “groundbreaking” and estimates it can reduce hydrogen consumption in heavy-duty fuel cell trucks by as much as 20 per cent.
Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies utilised its patented graphite-metal hybrid bipolar plate technology for the VLS-IV fuel cell. It allowed it to offer significant improvements over the VLS-III series, which it introduced in 2021. The company made substantial revisions to the bipolar plate manufacturing process.
Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies makes the graphite layer using high-precision moulding techniques, improving product consistency and lowering production costs by more than 50 per cent. A new PVD carbon coat on the metal layer enhances conductivity and reduces contact resistance, making the stack more reliable and efficient. The company assembles the hybrid bipolar plates by integrating the graphite and metal layers using its proven sealing technology.
The VLS-IV fuel cell paves the way for a new wave of hydrogen applications, especially ones that require high power, thanks to the impressive 400 kW output. Moreover, Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies says its zero-carbon MW power plant based on the 400 kW stack will generate more clean energy for AI data centres that don’t rely on grid power, along with electrical grid peak-shaving power plants.
To promote the VLS-IV fuel cell and find its first customers, Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies showcased it at this year’s Fuel Cell Technology Expo in Foshan (Guangdong Province), China. The organisers say it is the country’s largest hydrogen and fuel cell event.
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