Fuel cell technology is a highly dynamic, constantly evolving field. It’s an area that attracts...
Two Ballard Power Systems commercial team members took to the stage at the prestigious International Vienna Motor Symposium as part of an 80-strong speaker schedule that discussed the latest developments in automotive technologies. Ballard's strong presence supported the event's key themes focusing on the parallel existence of drive systems - the electric motor and the renewably-powered internal combustion engine – and energy sources, storage systems, and converters, such as e-fuels, hydrogen, batteries and fuel cells.
Addressing the technical audience of automotive specialists from Europe, Asia and North America, Ballard's Mark Kammerer, sales and business development director, presented a review of the development of hydrogen fuel cell technology - providing insights into the evolution of fuel cell stacks and modules for commercial volume deployment in heavy-duty vehicles. Dan Lamb, senior vehicle concept engineer, presented a paper discussing the transition from electric vehicle platforms to fuel cell electric platforms - and the commonality between each - allowing for a minimal-effort solution for OEMs to make the shift to fuel cell powertrain adoption.
Kammerer’s supporting paper provides an overview of the recent progress made in the commercialisation of fuel cell stacks and modules for heavy-duty vehicles. These developments include comprehensive improvements in manufacturing, materials, and engineering design at stack and module levels for heavy-duty performance, resulting in cost reductions through improvements in power density and longevity of stacks and fuel cell modules.
Seeking to demystify fuel cell electric vehicle development in his presentation, Lamb assessed commonly perceived economic and technical barriers to the market, before addressing them with a total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis and a discussion on integration simplification.
"Having the chance to speak at the Vienna Motor Symposium provided a fantastic opportunity to engage with a host of key representatives from the auto industry, and present Ballard's technology for automotive applications. Our involvement in real-world deployments and experience across verticals in global regions are proving critical as major players increase their decarbonization ambitions and active engagement in the zero-emission transition of medium- and heavy-duty mobility."
Mark Kammerer Sales & Business Development Director, Ballard
The annual event attracted more than 1,000 thought leaders and decision-makers from the biggest players in global automotive engineering. The three-day program, staged at the famous Hofburg Conference Centre in Vienna, delivered a wide range of lectures, panel discussions and networking events on critical subjects within the auto space. Due to the high level of demand, the event was also offered on a virtual platform, with registrants able to access online.
The conference’s top-level lecture schedule was supplemented by an exhibition involving the leading automotive and component companies in the world, who presented their latest technology developments to hundreds of visitors.
