Proton Motor, the specialist in fuel cell and hybrid systems, is to collaborate with AVL List, the Austrian automotive engineering company, on development of fuel cell hybrid systems as well as related measurement and diagnostic technology.
AVL will serve as the powertrain engineering and measurement technology provider while Proton Motor will be the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system provider.
AVL has been involved in the development of hybrid drives for more than 15 years and has expertise in integrating hybrid systems into various types of vehicles.
Proton Motor focuses on back-to-base applications such as materials handling, utility vehicles and mass transport. It says these applications can be commercialised at an early stage as they do not depend on the existence of a ubiquitous hydrogen infrastructure.
In September 2007 Proton Motor unveiled the world’s first triple-hybrid forklift combining a fuel cell, a battery and supercapacitors to form an energy-efficient power system.
Felix Heidelberg, chief executive of Proton Motor, said: “We are proud to collaborate with AVL a well-established and renowned company in the automotive industry. The partnership with AVL is a testimony to our success in establishing our technical credentials. In addition, it clearly affirms us as a leading developer of hybrid vehicle systems.”
