Marc Zobel

RWTH Aachen: Fuel cells in trucks continue to outperform batteries on long-haul routes The PEM Chair at RWTH Aachen University has analyzed the operational capability and operating costs of fuel cell trucks. The study shows that fuel cell trucks continue to offer advantages over battery-electric trucks in terms of range and refueling time, but are still held back by high hydrogen prices. The "Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components" (PEM) Chair at RWTH Aachen University has published a comprehensive techno-economic evaluation of trucks with battery-electric and fuel cell-electric drives. The results were published in the journal "Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives." The study compares the operational flexibility, infrastructure access, and operating costs of fuel cell trucks with battery-electric trucks in realistic application scenarios. The comparisons are very specific to specific models and scenarios. According to PEM Director Professor Achim Kampker, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for emission-free heavy-duty transport: "The respective economic viability depends heavily on the application profile, the existing infrastructure, and the level of technological maturity." The study shows that fuel cell trucks offer a very long range. However, study author Maximilian Bayerlein emphasizes: "Unfortunately, they cannot currently exploit this unique selling point due to the considerable hydrogen prices and the sparse infrastructure." Using maps, the study also shows which routes have gaps in the refueling station infrastructure. Fuel cell trucks retain advantages for long-distance transport and refueling times The study highlights that fuel cell trucks offer advantages in refueling times, especially in long-distance transport with high daily mileage. Regarding the ranges of battery-electric trucks, the authors emphasize that these are often not fully utilized in order to remain within the fast battery charging range of between 20 and 80%. Fuel cell drives are therefore particularly advantageous for long-distance applications. For longer distances, the operating costs of fuel cell trucks approach those of battery-electric trucks, but remain higher due to high hydrogen prices. If a large annual distance is calculated from many short trips, the calculation shifts in favor of the battery. Professor Kampker explains: "The energy costs of electricity and hydrogen have the greatest influence on the costs of both technologies. However, if hydrogen prices fall, fuel cell trucks could become economically competitive." The study concludes that the operation of hydrogen trucks in Central Europe is fundamentally feasible. The authors see a new generation of fuel cell trucks with longer ranges and improved efficiency shortly before market launch.

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⚡ Europe’s next propulsion champion ⚡ Excited to announce our investment in Hyperdrives, a Munich-based startup developing high-performance electric motors that combine record-breaking power density with scalable manufacturing. Founded by Michael Numberger, Benjamin Hengstler, and Robin Renz, Hyperdrives has raised a €3M Pre-Seed round led by Rethink Ventures, with participation from SDAC Ventures, Acequia Capital, 2100 Ventures, Prototype 🦾, and us, First Momentum Ventures. The company’s breakthrough design enables lighter, more efficient, and more sustainable propulsion systems, eliminating reliance on rare-earth materials and reducing production costs; all while using proven automotive manufacturing processes. Why it matters: From aerospace to maritime to mobility, demand for efficient and reliable electric propulsion is accelerating. Hyperdrives is perfectly positioned to become a European leader in this strategically important technology. We are thrilled to back this outstanding team of engineers and entrepreneurs on their journey to redefine electric propulsion. ⚙️ Congrats, Michael, Benjamin, and Robin, on this milestone, and welcome to the First Momentum family! #FirstMomentum #Hyperdrives #DeepTech #ElectricPropulsion #ClimateTech #StartupFunding #MadeInEurope

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The Chair of Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components PEM RWTH Aachen University will receive a junior professorship for Safety and Sustainability Assessments in Future Research on October 1st, 2025. The Bruno Braun Professorship of the TÜV Rheinland Foundation will be awarded to Dr. Dr. Jana Backes. The 32-year-old’s tasks will include standardizing the concept of sustainability and safety to create a basis for corresponding certification processes for novel technological developments. 👍 “We are professionalizing the question of which technologies lie ahead and how we can design them to be safe and sustainable from the outset in ecological, economic, and social terms,” says PEM Director Professor Achim Kampker. “This will also benefit the accelerated transfer of research findings into industrial practice, which is something that we urgently need.” We will focus on topics such as battery safety and #artificialintelligence with regard to sustainability assessment, but also on alternatives to materials and technologies that are currently harmful to the #climate and #health. These are topics that will be of particular importance in the future. “The professorship is intended to promote the development of a scientific community that is specific to this field and provide national impetus for sustainability and safety research by networking intensively with all mechanical engineering institutes and other RWTH faculties,” says Professor Wolfgang Schroeder, Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at RWTH Aachen University. The professorship will “make a significant contribution to the early detection and validation of risks associated with new technologies,” states Professor Dieter Spath, President and Chairman of the Board of TÜV Rheinland Berlin Brandenburg Pfalz e.V. “This combination of sustainability assessment, technology analysis, and forecasting as well as a broad spectrum of technical applications is unique in the academic world to date.” After completing her dual degree in business administration at BASF, Jana Backes earned a master’s degree in sustainable resource management from Technische Universität München, focusing on topics such as environmental economics and policy, climate, air, water, and agriculture. From 2019 to 2023, she completed her doctorate at the Institute of Sustainability in Civil Engineering (INaB) - RWTH Aachen University with a focus on life cycle sustainability assessment, and she was honored with the highest award for her outstanding scientific achievement. Her dissertation was recognized in 2024 with the Borchers Plaque and the Friedrich Wilhelm Prize from RWTH Aachen University. During her professional career in large industrial companies and medium-sized enterprises, Backes has already been active in the fields of #sustainability and the #circulareconomy. 💯 Read more ➡️ https://lnkd.in/egtb34pH 📸: Rohit Ravi

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We’re excited to see that the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany’s new Hightech Agenda recognizes fusion energy as a national priority, setting a course that puts Germany back where it belongs: at the forefront of building transformative technologies. Here are some of the key highlights: 🇩🇪 A Fusion Action Plan will be presented to the federal government by the end of this year, setting the course for the first commercial fusion power plant in Germany. 🇩🇪 A Fusion Energy Research and Innovation Roadmap (FIRE) will follow by the end of next year, mapping the core technologies needed. 🇩🇪 New networking hubs for magnetic and laser fusion will enter the concept phase this year, aiming to build or expand research infrastructures and demonstrators. 🇩🇪 New funding initiatives will launch in 2025, from exploratory research to enabling technologies. 🇩🇪 The federal government is positioning itself as a potential first anchor client for fusion. Thanks to leaders like Dorothee Bär, fusion has now moved from research to industrial strategy. Germany is stepping up by investing in energy sovereignty, industrial competitiveness and deep-tech leadership, and fusion as a scalable energy solution is gaining momentum. We’re proud to be building Europe’s energy future 🇪🇺⚡#MadeinGermany Read the full Agenda: https://lnkd.in/eHKuseVJ

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