The Chair of Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) of RWTH Aachen University has received official road approval for its prototype fuel cell-powered electric truck from the highly acclaimed “SeLv” research project. From September 25th to 28th, the truck will be presented at the “NUFAM” commercial-vehicle trade fair in Karlsruhe, Germany, after which it will undergo extensive testing in real traffic conditions.
At the trade fair, to which the PEM team will already be transporting the innovative truck under its own power, the audience will gain deep insights into the results of the “SeLv” project, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport with just under 17 million euros. According to the Federal Environment Agency, the traffic and transport sector accounts for around 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in Germany, of which up to 35 percent is attributable to heavy-duty and commercial vehicles. “The high energy requirements of heavy-duty trucks make it possible to exploit the technological advantages of fuel cells – especially their long range and high payload capacity,” says PEM Director Professor Achim Kampker.
The official approval for road service shows that innovative approaches can be brought from research prototypes to practical suitability and ultimately to series production in a short period of time.
Most recently, the truck, which has been continuously developed by the PEM team, underwent special performance testing such as for braking, electromagnetic compatibility, and hill-climbing ability. The vehicle’s modular powertrain is designed for individual configurations depending on requirements. “The official approval for road service shows that innovative approaches can be brought from research prototypes to practical suitability and ultimately to series production in a short period of time,” Kampker says. The project’s goal was to develop and to validate a modular kit for powertrain configuration for the integration of a complete battery and fuel cell system and an integrated electric drive unit.
SeLv truck at 2025 NUFAMʼs booth A 519
The fuel cell truck from the “SeLv” project will be on display at NUFAM from September 25th to 28th at booth A 519. During subsequent test drives, the truck will also be presented to several renowned industrial companies. There, the vehicle itself will serve as an exhibit and will transport numerous other exhibits from PEM’s research, which are housed in a container behind the innovative truck. These exhibits provide information about the team’s current activities in the development, manufacturing, testing, and recycling of battery systems, electric motors, and hydrogen technologies, including their respective integration into heavy-duty vehicles.
Photo from Facebook of PEM RWTH Aachen University
Press release https://www.pem.rwth-aachen.de/?lidx=1
