Hypermotive and Honda have unveiled a scalable hydrogen fuel cell power system designed for maritime applications.
The X-M1 has been designed for newbuild and existing vessels, such as cruise ships, ferries, workboats and yachts, to aid the transition to zero-emission operations.
Built upon Hypermotive’s SYSTEM-X technology, the fuel cell system is claimed to offer “exceptional durability and versatility” across fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), construction machinery and stationary power generators.
Currently in its development phase, the companies aim to bring the X-M1 to market shortly, with proof of concept (PoC) trials planned for 2025 to ensure the system meets reliability, safety and performance standards before full-scale deployment.
The transition to the X-M1 solution will require the installation of the system on a vessel, with a customised assessment to enable cross-functionality with existing systems and engineering.
“We’re approaching the maritime industry with the same spirit of innovation that has underpinned our success in the automotive, commercial vehicle and rail sectors,” explained Adam Huckstep, CEO of Hypermotive.
“Leveraging our expertise in hydrogen systems and collaborating with industry leaders like Honda has enabled us to meet those challenges head-on and create new opportunities.”
Ingo Nyhues, Deputy General Manager of Europe Business Planning & Development at Honda Motor Europe, said he is glad to be working with Hypermotive to create “robust and efficient solutions for a variety of energy and power needs.”
Nyhues added, “There is a great opportunity with the maritime industry to demonstrate the performance and efficiency of a hydrogen solution like X-M1, which is a significant step towards achieving carbon neutrality in this sector.”
Speaking to H2 View in July (2024), Jonathan Brown, Hypermotive’s Strategy Director, said the company has been working behind the scenes in the hydrogen industry since its inception.
Read more:Spotlight on… Hypermotive
Brown commented, “[We’ve been] delivering integration projects in marine, rail, commercial vehicles and industrial equipment for hydrogen fuel cell and electrification technologies.”
He added, “The business was set up with a team who had been working together at a UK technology developer, identifying that a key gap in the hydrogen sector was not those creating new technologies, but those with the knowledge, expertise and experience of hydrogen and fuel cell systems to integrate them into the range of end-user applications.”
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