Fuel Cell vehicle HyMotion4 (CEP)

In order to raise customer acceptance, the FC aggregate developed in another subsidised project of the Volkswagen Group was to be integrated without limitations into a combustion engine vehicle in terms of functionality, interior space and driving performance in an existing series vehicle concept of the Volkswagen Group.

Within the framework of an extension of the project, the number of vehicles was increased from one to nine in order to enhance the presence of fuel cell technology in public. Four Volkswagen vehicles on the basis of a vehicle platform for the international market (US Passat) and four top-of-the-range Audi vehicles (Audi A7) as well as an additional laboratory vehicle for internal operation and testing were built. Within the funding framework an internal hydrogen refuelling station was also established in order to be able to operate these vehicles with 700 bar.

Another priority was the development of a cost-optimised overall strategy. In order to quickly achieve scaling effects in — at first — a low number of expected fuel cell vehicles, drive trains with the same in-house-developed FC aggregate were to be constructed in different performance classes. At Volkswagen a drive train for a front-wheel vehicle with an output of 100 kW was developed. With the same FC power a second fourwheel drive train with considerably more performance on the basis of the Audi A7 was developed. This has a peak power of 170 kW, which will be generated from two electric engines at the front and rear axles. The drive power will be provided by the fuel cell and a plugin battery that is larger than that in the Volkswagen. Unlike the purely hybrid operation in the Volkswagen, regular and fast recharging is possible with the Audi, via a standardised combo plug. Thus apart from hydrogen operation, purely electric driving is also an option.

The vehicles are incorporated in the CEP programme in Berlin. In addition they were presented to the public in a joint appearance of Volkswagen and Audi at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2014 and garnered great interest. Particularly impressive were the integration of fuel cell technology in high-volume series vehicles without usage limitations, the noted smoothness of battery-electric vehicles, the large range and rapid refuelling. Apart from trial operation, the vehicles will in the future be further used in the area of technical optimisation and publicity work.

Die Fahrzeuge sind eingebunden in das Programm der CEP in Berlin. Außerdem wurden sie im Rahmen eines gemeinsamen Auftritts der Marken Volkswagen und Audi auf der Los Angeles Auto Show im November 2014 der Öffentlichkeit präsentiert und sind auf großes Interesse gestoßen. Insbesondere die Integration der Brennstoffzellentechnologie in Großserienfahrzeuge ohne Einschränkungen an die Nutzung, die von batterieelektrischen Fahrzeugen bekannte Laufruhe, die große Reichweite und die schnelle Tankmöglichkeit haben überzeugt.

Neben dem Versuchsbetrieb werden die Fahrzeuge künftig weiter im Bereich der technischen Optimierung und der Öffentlichkeitsarbeit eingesetzt.