The districts are cooperating with the Esslingen University of Applied Sciences as well as with partners from the regional economy, sending a strong signal of support for future technologies and climate-neutral mobility.
“By using this vehicle, we are not just contributing to climate protection. Hydrogen technology provides us with a strategic opportunity and has enormous potential for added value in the region”, says District Administrator Marcel Musolf. Utility vehicles used in road maintenance services frequently require a higher level of energy consumption. Therefore, the more cost-effective purely battery-electric drives have limitations in terms of range and robustness at present. By supplementing the battery-electric drive with a fuel cell and hydrogen tanks, the vehicle has a range of around 600 kilometres and displays a high level of robustness.”
“I am particularly pleased that IONTRAK energy GmbH, a company from our Göppingen district, is substantially contributing to the development of this innovative fuel cell technology,” said District Administrator Markus Möller. “This project impressively illustrates how regional competence, technological pioneering spirit and sustainable mobility can work together. This is how local added value is created and at the same time, we are actively shaping the transformation towards a climate-neutral future.”
Funding from the BMV and the state of Baden-Württemberg
The project is part of the ‘H2Rivers’ competition entry and was selected as part of the HyLand funding programme of the federal government as a winning region in the ‘HyPerformer’ category. The project has a volume of around 950,000 euros. The procurement of two hydrogen vehicles is funded under the National Innovation Programme for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology with a total of 388,500 euros by the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV). The funding guideline is coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by Project Management Jülich (PtJ). The state of Baden-Württemberg is funding the vehicle procurements with a further 200,000 euros under the State Initiative II Market Growth Electric Mobility.
The road construction authority for the districts of Esslingen and Göppingen maintains approximately a 1,150-kilometre extensive network of federal, state and district roads, employing around 120 staff in the three road maintenance depots in Deizau, Kirchheim unter Teck and Geislingen. Core tasks include the inspection, maintenance and operational upkeep of federal, state and district roads.
Picture (from left): District Administrator Marcel Musolf (Esslingen district), Dr. Till Kaz (Managing Director, IonTrak energy GmbH), District Administrator Markus Möller (Göppingen district), Benjamin Haufe (Baden-Württemberg Transport Ministry)
Source (Text/Picture): www.landkreis-esslingen.de
