Hyundai to develop fuel cells with Advent Technologies

Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) said it had agreed a deal with US fuel cell manufacturer Advent Technologies to develop and commercialise core technology for hydrogen fuel cell systems.

The automaker said it had successfully evaluated Advent’s proprietary membrane electrode assembly (MEA) technology, a key component in high temperature fuel cell systems, and the two companies had entered into a joint development agreement (JDA) which would see the pair further develop the HMC-Advent Ion Pair MEA technology, establish commercial criteria for MEA supply and evaluate Advent’s fuel cell technology for Hyundai heavy duty vehicles and stationary systems.

Hyundai said the two companies would also introduce advanced cooling technology for high temperature proton exchange membrane (HT-PEM) fuel cell stacks. They would work together as Hyundai evaluated the stack cooling technology to ensure optimal performance under different operating conditions.

Hyundai said the two companies were committed to developing sustainable energy products for carbon intensive applications, adding the JDA aligned with its aim to “accelerate the establishment of a hydrogen based society”. It expected its deal with Advent would “revolutionize the global MEA market by providing significant improvement in lifetime and an increase in power density versus current HT-PEM MEAs”.

Vasilis Gregoriou, shairman and CEO of Advent Technologies, said: “With our common goal to decarbonise heavy duty transport, we are contributing to Hyundai’s goal of building innovative, high performance fuel cells which will make a significant impact in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

Seung Hyun Hong, head of Hyundai Motor’s Material Research & Engineering Center, said the venture would “prove its high temperature driven material technical expertise… and develop best in class high-temperature fuel cells, unlocking a key step for more widespread adoption of fuel cell technology in high-temperature applications”.

Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) said it had agreed a deal with US fuel cell manufacturer Advent Technologies to develop and commercialise core technology for hydrogen fuel cell systems.

The automaker said it had successfully evaluated Advent’s proprietary membrane electrode assembly (MEA) technology, a key component in high temperature fuel cell systems, and the two companies had entered into a joint development agreement (JDA) which would see the pair further develop the HMC-Advent Ion Pair MEA technology, establish commercial criteria for MEA supply and evaluate Advent’s fuel cell technology for Hyundai heavy duty vehicles and stationary systems.

Hyundai said the two companies would also introduce advanced cooling technology for high temperature proton exchange membrane (HT-PEM) fuel cell stacks. They would work together as Hyundai evaluated the stack cooling technology to ensure optimal performance under different operating conditions.

Hyundai said the two companies were committed to developing sustainable energy products for carbon intensive applications, adding the JDA aligned with its aim to “accelerate the establishment of a hydrogen based society”. It expected its deal with Advent would “revolutionize the global MEA market by providing significant improvement in lifetime and an increase in power density versus current HT-PEM MEAs”.

Vasilis Gregoriou, shairman and CEO of Advent Technologies, said: “With our common goal to decarbonise heavy duty transport, we are contributing to Hyundai’s goal of building innovative, high performance fuel cells which will make a significant impact in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

Seung Hyun Hong, head of Hyundai Motor’s Material Research & Engineering Center, said the venture would “prove its high temperature driven material technical expertise… and develop best in class high-temperature fuel cells, unlocking a key step for more widespread adoption of fuel cell technology in high-temperature applications”.