Project ESTHER: Scaling the UK’s hydrogen fuel cell capability

Intelligent Energy and their consortium partners have developed hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) technology, centred on an evaporatively cooled fuel cell system, with support from APC UK and the Department for Business and Trade.

The £22.2 million project, with £9.1 million of government funding, has enabled Intelligent Energy and its partners to scale up their ability to build standardised fuel cells for not only a wide range of vehicles, including heavy-duty ones, but also further low-carbon power applications.

To support the creation of a fully integrated hydrogen propulsion solution, the project also developed a 100 kW DC‑to‑DC converter that controlled the flow of power from the fuel cell to the vehicle’s motor. This innovation has filled a gap in the UK and wider European markets.

By delivering this project, the ESTHER consortium is now able to deliver a standardised and scalable solution, increasing the UK’s ability to mass-produce hydrogen fuel cells.

The car pictured in the video is a 1st generation CS75 vehicle. The vehicle currently on sale is a 4th-generation car. Since this project has wrapped up, Lyra Electronics was acquired by Drive System Design, which has carried forward the developments.

This project was undertaken through the APC’s collaborative R&D programme, now known as DRIVE35 Collaborate – opportunities to apply for this innovation funding take place throughout the year. Contact the APC to find out more.