Viritech awarded grant for radical DC-DC converter for fuel cell vehicles

Viritech DC-DC Converter

Viritech has been awarded a DER (Driving the Electric Revolution) Grant to productionise its modular DC-DC Converter for fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs).

• This will enhance the efficiency of hydrogen powertrains by reducing weight, improving packaging, and lowering cost

• Available as a family of products from 60kW to 360kW, it significantly reduces the total cost of ownership of an FCEV

• The Manufacturing Technology Centre will assist Viritech to develop cost-efficient high-volume manufacturing processes

Viritech is to lead a £675K project to develop a new generation of DC-DC Converter that integrates the energy management of a fuel cell and a battery pack. By doing this, it creates a dynamic energy system in which the fuel cell is the primary energy source, with batteries providing power for transient conditions. An FCDC-enabled powertrain can continually vary both the energy split between the fuel cell and the battery, and the total amount of power deployed.

Viritech’s single DC-DC Converter will replace the dual DC-DC Converter architecture of conventional FCEVs (one for fuel cell, one for battery pack), reducing cost, weight, and size. 

Using the latest manufacturing technology, the DC-DC Converter aims to be significantly cheaper to manufacture than current products, providing the UK with the opportunity to establish large-scale production of this important component in the hydrogen powertrain eco-system.

Timothy Lyons, CEO of Viritech said, “Project FCDC is the clearest indication yet of Viritech’s mission to develop efficient hydrogen powertrains and to drive the cost-efficiencies that will encourage their broad adoption. Viritech is committed to establishing hydrogen powertrains as a core technology in the path to ‘sustainable transportation’ and this project will enable our DC-DC Converter to play a major role in this transformation.”