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Robert Bosch GmbH has announced that its development team for the fuel cell power module (FCPM) has been nominated for the prestigious Deutscher Zukunftspreis. This recognition highlights the company’s advancements in hydrogen technology, enabling zero-carbon operation for long-distance trucks and contributing to global efforts against climate change.
Key Highlights
- Team Nomination: Christoffer Uhr, Kai Weeber, and Pierre Andrieu from Bosch are nominated for their work on the FCPM.
- System Complexity: The FCPM is the most complex system in Bosch’s nearly 140-year history, with over a thousand parts.
- Zero-Carbon Benefits: Using green hydrogen, trucks achieve zero-carbon operation without compromising range or refueling time.
- Production Sites: Volume production occurs in Stuttgart-Feuerbach, Germany, and Chongqing, China.
- Broader Applications: Technology extends to electrolyzers, ships, and data centers for sustainable energy.
Innovative Fuel Cell Technology
The FCPM converts hydrogen and oxygen into electricity, powering heavy commercial vehicles over long distances. In the EU, such vehicles account for more than one-fourth of greenhouse gas emissions from road traffic. Bosch’s solution addresses this by offering scalable options along the hydrogen value chain, from production to application. The module fits into the space previously occupied by combustion engines in over 95 percent of trucks, ensuring seamless integration for logistics companies.
Bosch manufactures key components like the fuel cell stack, hydrogen metering valve, recirculation pump, and electric air compressor in-house. These parts are optimized for optimal interaction, requiring minimal critical raw materials. Manufacturing leverages expertise such as high-speed laser welding to create 1.2 kilometers of watertight seams per system. Trucks equipped with the FCPM offer robustness, short refueling times, and a range of up to 1,000 kilometers per tank, matching diesel performance while operating quietly without vibrations.
Building a Hydrogen Economy
Several thousand trucks worldwide already use the Bosch FCPM, with further expansion depending on infrastructure development in regions like Europe and North America. Bosch emphasizes the need for a hydrogen economy, including production, storage, and usage. Countries such as China and India demonstrate progress in this area. The company collects data from in-use modules via digital twins to monitor temperature, pressure, and wear, informing the second-generation development.
Bosch applies FCPM technology beyond trucks, reversing the fuel cell process for electrolyzers that produce hydrogen from water and renewable electricity. This supports climate-friendly applications, including powering ships or providing zero-carbon electricity for data centers.
Bosch’s Award History
Bosch has a strong track record with the Deutscher Zukunftspreis, having been nominated five times between 1998 and 2013. The company has won three times: in 2005 for piezo injectors, in 2008 for smart sensors, and in 2013 for ultrashort pulse lasers. The award, endowed with 250,000 euros, honors innovations that create sustainable jobs and societal value, spanning fields like medical technology, materials, robotics, mechanical engineering, and aerospace.
About Bosch Group
The Bosch Group, a leading global supplier of technology and services, employs roughly 418,000 associates worldwide and generated sales of 90.3 billion euros in 2024. Operations span four sectors: Mobility, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. Bosch focuses on automation, electrification, digitalization, connectivity, and sustainability, offering cross-domain solutions from a single source. With “Invented for life” technology, the company aims to improve quality of life and conserve resources.
Founded in 1886 as a “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering,” Bosch’s special ownership structure ensures long-term planning. Ninety-four percent of shares are held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable entity, with voting rights managed by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG to safeguard independence.
Related link: www.deutscher-zukunftspreis.de. Additional information available at www.bosch.com.
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