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Jun 14, 2023

Bosch’s Race To Hydrogen: A Complete Ecosystem Of Products

Bosch fuel cell system in Nikola truck In the race for the hydrogen truck, an interesting trend has emerged, where the established trucking industry players are attempting to adapt while competing

Bosch fuel cell system in Nikola truck

In the race for the hydrogen truck, an interesting trend has emerged, where the established trucking industry players are attempting to adapt while competing against new more nimble entrants. Among these contenders, the 130-year-old Bosch corporation stands out as a strategic and agile long-distance runner. Notably, Bosch has successfully positioned itself in the electric vehicle market and has now established itself as a competitive supplier for fuel cell trucks.

My personal experience with Bosch dates back 20 years when I visited its diesel injector manufacturing facility in Kenwood, MI a couple of times to oversee my student interns' work. The facility boasted an impressive 60 test cell facility, where the performance of Bosch’s injectors was assessed in real engines for various manufacturers with diverse engine sizes and requirements. Let's fast forward to 2019 when I visited PowerCell, an up-and-coming fuel cell manufacturer in Gothenburg, Sweden. By that time, PowerCell had announced a deal to supply its fuel cells to Nikola trucks, which had just unveiled its new line. While that specific deal did not materialize, Bosch stepped in and acquired the long-haul segment of PowerCell's business. As a result, we now witness Bosch's fuel cell power plants propelling Nikola trucks. Through this agreement, PowerCell transferred its technology to Bosch, contributing to the development of a more robust product. One can immediately recognize the PowerCell DNA in Bosch's offering. Energized by this deal, PowerCell has since ventured into other fuel cell markets such as marine, aviation, stationary power, and more.

PowerCell developed fuel cell S3 a prototype for the first generation of Bosch fuel cells.

However, for a fuel cell to become a functioning powerplant, it requires numerous additional components that breathe life and vitality into it—collectively known as the balance of plant. In order to gain insights into Bosch's fuel cell ecosystem, I had the opportunity to discuss this aspect of their business with Matt Thorington during the 2023 ACT Expo. Matt serves as an engineering manager for hydrogen fuel cell stacks and systems at the North American headquarters in Farmington Hills, MI. With over 18 years of experience at Bosch, starting from diesel fuel injection systems and encompassing various advanced powertrain topics such as battery electric and hybrid vehicles, Matt has spent the last four years focused on hydrogen technology. The parallels in our career timelines struck a chord with me.

Bosch family of products for a fuel cell integration on a truck

At the expo, Bosch showcased its industrial prowess by demonstrating not only its ability to manufacture the fuel cell stack itself but also a plethora of related components. This comprehensive range includes pressure and safety hardware for hydrogen tanks, hydrogen flow control systems, air compressors, cooling systems, power control and inverters, electric motors, and one of the most challenging elements—the control and interface software. Vehicle developers could approach Bosch and virtually find everything they need to transition to hydrogen.

According to Matt Thorington, "The biggest thing for Bosch is we're all in on hydrogen. It's not just a technology for the next 10 years; we firmly believe that its time is now. We are industrializing the components and systems for markets in Europe, the US, and China." This resolute commitment underscores Bosch's dedication to hydrogen as a viable solution.

Nikola truck deploys Bosch dual fuel cell system, the first hydrogen heavy duty OEM for Bosch.

Bosch adopted the PowerCell S3+ technology as its initial product and is currently developing its second-generation fuel cell system capable of producing 150 kW net power at the end of its estimated lifespan of 20,000 hours or over 1 million miles driven. For the heavy-duty market, Bosch recommends a dual fuel cell system, generating a combined power of 300 kW. Each fuel cell system can operate independently when power demand is low. Production is scheduled to commence soon at Bosch's manufacturing facility in Anderson, SC, representing a $200 million investment and creating employment opportunities for 350 workers. Additionally, Bosch has established another manufacturing facility in China to cater to the medium-duty market there. While Nikola is the only publicly announced customer in North America, Bosch is actively seeking other customers.