Voith Composites Achieves UNECE R 134 Certification for Large Hydrogen Tank, Paving the Way for Zero-Emission Heavy-Duty Trucks

Voith Composites Achieves UNECE R 134 Certification for Large Hydrogen Tank, Paving the Way for Zero-Emission Heavy-Duty Trucks

(IN BRIEF) Voith Composites has achieved a significant milestone by obtaining UNECE R 134 certification for its Type IV 700 bar and 350-liter hydrogen storage tank. This certification marks the first approval for a hydrogen tank of this size under the guidelines of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The tank, known as Carbon4Tank, is designed for heavy-duty trucks and commercial vehicles, contributing to the expansion of the zero-emission heavy goods transportation market. Hydrogen-powered trucks offer the potential for long-range and rapid recharging while minimizing emissions, aligning with the goal of decarbonizing the transport sector. The certification highlights the company’s innovative materials and processes and signifies readiness for large-scale production, with several truck OEMs already incorporating these tanks into their vehicles.

(PRESS RELEASE) GARCHING, 8-Dec-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — For hydrogen tanks to be released on the road, the law defines that they must be certified beforehand. In Europe, type approval on H2 tank systems is governed by the regulation UNECE R 134. Now, for the first time, a Type IV 700 bar and 350 litre hydrogen capacity tank has been approved for road use under the guidelines of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. The H2 storage vessel Carbon4Tank with unprecedented dimensions from Voith Composites is ready to be applied in heavy-duty trucks and other commercial vehicles. This is a big milestone for scaling up the zero-emission heavy goods transportation market.

Emission-free Transportation

Hydrogen fuel is a key part of enabling sustainable transportation in the future. Trucks powered by hydrogen have the potential to achieve a long-range, enabling rapid recharging while avoiding emissions. Regulations such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) No. 134 ensure the safe use of hydrogen power on the road. Thus, obtaining type approval, under uniform guidelines and tests, is an important step towards the introduction of a hydrogen economy and the decarbonization of the transport sector.

Deep innovation and digitalized production are ready

During the development of the Voith hydrogen storage vessel Carbon4Tank. innovative materials and processes were used and set up from the beginning to enable automotive qualities and high volumes in production. Within the approval tests the tank had to meet stringent performance requirements to receive certification for on-road service, including testing for burst pressure, pressure cycle life, expected on-road performance, fire safety, component isolation and a combination of these tests.

According to Voith Composites CEO Anna Pointner, “This certification is an important milestone following an intensive development period. It recognizes the hard work and expertise of our team in producing composites at scale for the automotive industry. Our emphasis on high-quality data is critical when ensuring absolute safety and consistency in manufacturing, which this certification demands.”

With UNECE R 134 certification, the innovative towpreg-wound H2 tanks from Voith Composites have underlined the maturity of the product and production and are now ready for serial production. The first well-known truck OEMs are already integrating the tanks into their trucks.

About the Voith Group
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, the company today has around 21,000 employees, sales of € 4.9 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the larger family-owned companies in Europe.

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SOURCE: Voith GmbH