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The limitation of global warming to less than 2 °C till the end of the century is regarded as the main challenge of our time. In order to meet COP21 objectives, a clear transition from carbon-based energy sources towards renewable and carbon-free energy carriers is mandatory. Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) allow an energy-efficient, resource-efficient and emission-free conversion of regenerative produced hydrogen. For these reasons fuel cell technologies emerge in stationary, mobile and logistic applications with acceptable cruising ranges as well as short refueling times. In order to perform applied research in the area of PEMFC systems, a highly integrated fuel cell analysis infrastructure for systems up to 150 kW electric power was developed and established within a cooperative research project by HyCentA Research GmbH and AVL List GmbH in Graz, Austria. A novel open testing facility with hardware in the loop (HiL) capability is presented.

The continuous increasingly stringent regulations for CO2 fleet targets request the introduction of zero-emission solutions in the near future. Moreover, additional customer benefits have to be generated in order to increase customer acceptance of zero-emission technologies. Actually high costs, reduced driving ranges and lack of infrastructures are some aggregative facts for end-customer acceptance thus also for a broad market launch. Plug-in hybrids as intermediate step towards zero-emission vehicles are meanwhile in series production with partly “zero-emission” operation mode and are well accepted by customers. The project partners HyCentA Research GmbH, Magna Steyr Engineering AG & Co KG, Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH and the Vienna University of Technology, Institute for Powertrains and Automotive Technology, have developed a hydrogen-powered zero-emission vehicle within a national funded research project.