The hydrogen engines powering the vehicles had been based on previous diesel engine platforms and thus are familiar and can be used to retrofit vehicles in the future.

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This provides a cost-effective method for existing transportation companies to convert fleets to hydrogen technologies and contribute significantly to a reduction of carbon emissions in the transportation sector.

It is expected that the vehicles will go to its first on-road testing in Spring 2022.

With an output of 210kW the engines do not only provide sufficient power but also remain below the zero-emission carbon limit defined by the EU in the demanding WHTC reference cycles.

Uniquely, these are said to easily meet the EURO 6 emissions standard without the need for expensive exhaust after treatment, which has previously been assumed an absolute necessity.

The next step is to prove these values on test tracks and public roads.

After this year’s vehicle tests, KEYOU plans to conduct an intensive field test phase together with pioneering customers at the end of 2023. Here, various application scenarios will be mapped, and technology and the vehicle will be tested under real conditions.

In 2024, two more engine platforms will be added, which will then be used to increasingly address the existing market.

Thomas Korn, CEO and co-founder of KEYOU, said, “This is where we see the greatest leverage for the hydrogen engine in vehicles.

“This is because the technology is not only durable, robust, and independent of rare earths, but also offers a diesel-equivalent cost structure for the end customer – especially when looking at the overall costs.

“Not least because only minor modifications to the underlying base engine are required and existing combustion engine infrastructure can be used in the production of the engines and vehicles. So you can say: customers get a zero-emission vehicle at a comparable price to a diesel vehicle without having to make any sacrifices.”