Mahle Powertrain reaches hydrogen milestone

Mahle Powertrain has invested in new testing infrastructure in the UK. (Photo: Mahle Powertrain)

Mahle Powertrain said has achieved a milestone in Project Cavendish, having successfully converted a 13 L heavy-duty engine to run purely on hydrogen. The converted engine has reportedly matched the maximum torque of the baseline diesel engine.

“This milestone demonstrates that hydrogen combustion has a place as a clean fuel in the heavy-duty market,” said Jonathan Hall, head of Research and Advanced Engineering at Mahle Powertrain. “Achieving the target torque and low raw engine out emissions from a hydrogen fuelled 13 L heavy-duty engine represents a significant step forward, both for Mahle Powertrain and for the wider industry, as we move towards practical hydrogen combustion solutions for heavy-duty applications.”

Measured raw engine out NOx emissions are low when running lean (data measured at 1,400 rpm, 6 bar BMEP). (Graph: Mahle Powertrain)

Launched in early 2023, Project Cavendish is a £9.8 million programme supported by the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) that is developing end-to-end hydrogen powertrain capability for heavy-duty applications to support the UK’s transition toward net-zero transport.

As part of Project Cavendish, Mahle Powertrain has upgraded its testing infrastructure in Northampton, England, for hydrogen operation.

The company said reaching the target torque level was the first step – the bigger challenge in hydrogen combustion is controlling NOx emissions. The measured raw engine-out emissions are low and the addition of a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) aftertreatment system is expected to enable the tailpipe emissions to be significantly less than EU VII limits. The company said the measured particulate emissions were negligible and manageable using existing particulate filter technology. The results demonstrate that hydrogen combustion engines offer a practical, fast-to-market pathway towards zero-carbon heavy-duty transport.

Another goal of Project Cavendish is to facilitate wider hydrogen adoption by creating opportunities for external partners to undertake hydrogen engine testing at Mahle Powertrain’s facility in Northampton, demonstrating the UK’s commitment to developing clean, practical solutions for the heavy-duty transport sector. The facilities serve as a centre of excellence for the design, development, calibration and testing of all aspects of hydrogen and renewable fuels powertrain engineering.

The company has reported growing interest from new customers and expects commercialisation of its hydrogen and renewable fuels infrastructure to expand significantly over the coming year.

The project combines expertise from Mahle Powertrain, Phinia, BorgWarner, Cambustion, Hartridge, and Oxford Brookes University to deliver the next generation of hydrogen combustion technology.