KTM, the well-known track car and motorcycle manufacturer, has teamed up with Australian company H2X Global to create a hydrogen fuel cell van. This collaboration allows H2X to benefit from KTM’s expertise in lightweighting technology.
KTM, famous for its X-Bow track car and the GT-XR supercar, joined forces with H2X last year to develop a “revolutionary” lightweight platform called the ‘Smart chassis’. Their goal is to reduce the cost of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, including cars, trucks, and buses.
Under this partnership, the two companies announced their plans to collaborate on a new ‘origami’ chassis specifically designed for H2X’s light commercial vehicles. This chassis is said to be easier to produce, maintain, and provide greater flexibility for different models compared to a traditional chassis.
KTM states that this new platform will not only enhance the sustainability of their manufacturing processes but also reduce the costs associated with tooling, which is typically a significant expense in sheet metal forming processes.
The first product resulting from this collaboration is a hydrogen-powered version of H2X’s Darling, a mid-sized van comparable to the Ford Transit and Vauxhall Movano. The Darling comes in various sizes, ranging from 4670mm to 5324mm in length.
Although still in the early stages of development, H2X has revealed a prototype of the Hydrogen Professional Van and is currently in discussions with a key supplier to verify its viability. The van claims to have a payload capacity of 3500kg, a towing capacity of up to 2550kg, and a range of up to 248 miles.
While technical details about the hydrogen-powered Darling remain undisclosed, KTM Technologies’ technical project manager, Andy Schumacher, expressed excitement about collaborating with H2X Global. He acknowledged H2X’s innovative vision and dedication to pioneering hydrogen-powered solutions for the automotive industry. Schumacher emphasized KTM’s commitment to environmentally friendly and groundbreaking vehicles.
Hydrogen fuel cells are particularly appealing to light commercial vehicle manufacturers due to their long range and quick refueling times, which benefit commercial operators. Stellantis already offers a range of mid-sized fuel cell vans in Europe, and various start-ups, including First Hydrogen from the UK and Canada, have plans to commercialize their own versions of hydrogen-powered vehicles.
This announcement from KTM and H2X comes shortly after Toyota revealed its priority shift towards the development of fuel cell technology for commercial vehicles. Toyota has experienced limited success with its Mirai FCEV passenger car.