Project ICEBreaker: Delivering Hydrogen Fuel Cell Solutions for Heavy-Duty Vehicles
Viritech along with project partners HORIBA MIRA and Intelligent Energy, delivered Project ICEBreaker, a 40-tonne hydrogen fuel cell truck at CENEX Expo 2024
Demonstrates a new engineering approach to the design, integration and operation of hydrogen FCEV and approaches weight parity with a diesel equivalent
Project ICEBreaker’s drivetrain architecture provides a viable pathway to transition commercial vehicles to zero emissions, with technical solutions applicable to both new-build vehicles and the retrofitting of existing vehicles
As the commercial vehicle industry faces increasing pressure to meet zero-emission standards, maintaining operational performance without compromising payload is a significant hurdle. Project ICEBreaker set out to overcome these design challenges by developing a powertrain with near-weight parity to diesel models while delivering performance for fleet operators.
As project lead, Viritech’s proprietary DC-DC converter has been specially developed to contend with fuel cells’ high current, low voltage requirements. With a 75% smaller battery pack than an equivalent FCEV HGV, not only is payload increased, but the battery pack’s mass, cost, and mineral use are significantly reduced. Coupled with Viritech’s high-sampling rate proprietary BMS, the battery fill-in cycles operate in conjunction with the prime mover fuel cells, resulting in a highly optimised and efficient system.
ICEBreaker’s driveline is one of the first to be designed and installed as a high-pressure 700-bar system and, as a consequence, has comprehensive hydrogen componentry purposely designed to operate at this pressure. In so doing, ICEBreaker delivers superior energy density and increased range.
The full ICEBreaker vehicle design and build in a truncated 12-month period has enabled the project partners to develop a comprehensive safety engineering approach for both hydrogenfuel-cell vehicle design and proof-of-concept build. This has spanned all aspects of the project, from technician training to specific hardware designs and from hydrogen storage vessel relief valves to tank control units, all of which provide invaluable links in the hydrogen engineering toolchain.
Unveiled at CENEX Expo 2024, Project ICEBreaker proved that hydrogen fuel cell powertrains offer a viable pathway for heavy-duty trucks to meet zero-emission regulations. The truck showcased an optimised powertrain architecture that delivers comparable load capacity and operational range to diesel alternatives while also reducing the total cost of ownership through efficient energy management. Project ICEBreaker represents a significant step forward in hydrogen technology for heavy-duty vehicles, offering a clear path to zero-emission freight.
