Battery producer AMTE Power has signed a memorandum of understanding with powertrain developer Viritech to support the development of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).
The agreement will see AMTE Power’s Ultra High Power (UHP) cells supplied for use in Viritech’s battery packs for high performance FCEV projects, including heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), light commercial vehicles, marine, aerospace and its hypercar project, Apricale.
An alternative to fully electric vehicles, fuel cells help mitigate challenges around weight and cell charge times in high power and performance vehicles, compared to battery power alone.
The Advanced Propulsion Centre UK forecasts that global FCEV markets will experience rapid expansion, with sales anticipated to exceed one million vehicles by 2030 and 10 million vehicles by 2040.
Viritech’s powertrain combines hydrogen fuel cells with lithium-ion cells. The technology is intended to provide an additional power boost on ignition, acceleration and when driving on a gradient, as well as enabling smaller, more lightweight battery systems.
The H2 powertrain technology is also integral to Viritech’s flagship hypercar, the Apricale, and to the development of zero emission HGVs.
With fully-owned intellectual property rights for the product, AMTE Power is in advanced stages of development for the UHP, which is currently going through scale-up and testing trials at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre.
This deal is the latest in a series of commercial opportunities announced by the business within the automotive market, as it continues its pathway to commercialisation. Earlier this year, AMTE announced that anticipates making an announcement within 2022 on a new 'gigafactory' production facility in the UK for its cell type.
Kevin Brundish, chief executive of AMTE Power, commented: “Batteries are essential to the transition to hydrogen electric vehicles and our UHP cells are the perfect fit for this collaboration, with our carefully refined cell chemistry able to fulfil the specific power, weight and safety requirements for Viritech’s power trains.
“This partnership will help the electric vehicle industry move to net zero emissions while ensuring the UK remains a competitive player in automotive manufacturing.”
Matt Faulks, chief technology officer of Viritech, added: “We look forward to seeing what the businesses can achieve together and how AMTE Power’s battery technology can assist with lightweighting zero emission vehicles that are critical to the decarbonisation of global transport systems.”
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