High speed electric air compressor for fuel cell

In order to push the decarbonization of commercial vehicles, ZF's Commercial Vehicle Solutions division (CVS) presents a key product for e-mobility: A new air compressor supplies the fuel cell with a high volume of air, thus making an efficient chemical reaction for power generation possible.

Together with the Liebherr Group's "Aerospace & Transportation" product segment, ZF intends to accelerate the development and use of this technology. Both partners will develop advanced fuel cell air compressor systems for their respective customer base, with ZF exclusively serving the commercial vehicle sector.

A ZF world premiere: electric high-speed air compressor for fuel cells

As the performance and efficiency of fuel cell systems depends on a reliable air supply, the compressor is one of the key components in high-performance fuel cell systems. Liebherr-Aerospace & Transportation SAS has more than four decades of experience in the field of high power density, high speed turbomachinery - especially air bearing technology - originally from aerospace applications. In addition, Liebherr has already developed several applications for the automotive sector.

ZF's new joint development agreement with Liebherr for advanced fuel cell air compressors will enable ZF to support a wide range of vehicle platforms with a modular, compact and scalable design. Optimized for commercial vehicle use, the compressor's air bearing design offers a number of advantages, including oil-free operation, extremely high engine speeds, resulting in high power density and efficient operation. Reliability over the entire life cycle of the compressor, even in the most demanding heavy-duty applications, is a key focus of ZF's development work.

The development agreement with Liebherr is the latest partnership by ZF's CVS division to advance its eMobility strategy for commercial vehicles.

Open-technology approach needed for decarbonization of commercial vehicle industry

»Decarbonizing the commercial vehicle industry requires an approach that is open to technology,« says Dr. Peter Laier, member of the ZF Board of Management responsible for the Commercial Vehicle Solutions and Industrial Technology divisions. »In our scenarios, we also see a significant number of commercial vehicles with fuel cell drive systems on our roads. Especially in long-distance transport, the additional battery charging time and range required will necessitate a fuel cell approach.«

»We are leveraging our expertise in the development of electric powertrains and peripheral systems, as well as our unique know-how in system integration. The commercial vehicle industry will play a key role in decarbonization in the transport sector. Our new partnership with Liebherr provides an additional boost to drive the development of fuel cell drives,« Dr. Laier added.