• EV Tech Insider
  • Posts
  • AVL and Red Bull Advanced Technologies partner to develop high-power-density fuel cell tech

AVL and Red Bull Advanced Technologies partner to develop high-power-density fuel cell tech

April 22, 2024

AVL is collaborating with Red Bull Advanced Technologies, the high-performance division of Red Bull Racing Group, to develop the next generation of fuel cell technology.

The companies mentioned that the technology is expected to be two-thirds lighter than conventional fuel cell systems due to its ultra-high power density and lightweight design. This partnership aims to advance the application of sustainable hydrogen-powered propulsion systems in the high-performance automotive, motorsport, and aviation sectors.

The collaboration brings together AVL’s portfolio of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology and Red Bull’s innovative approaches in lightweight design, construction, and aerodynamics. The project aims to deliver a fuel cell system for high-performance applications that surpasses those currently available on a global scale. Joint investigations suggest that upon successful completion, significant improvements in gravimetric power density can be achieved, with values reaching 6kW/kg at the stack level and 2kW/kg at the fuel cell system level.

They will enable sectors such as aerospace, future motorsport series, and other maximum payload applications to achieve the power density figures required in hydrogen mobility.

Rob Gray, Technical Director at Red Bull Advanced Technologies, stated, “We are delighted to be working with AVL on this collaboration to increase fuel cell power density and thus improve performance. It goes to show how beneficial the application of cutting edge F1 inspired engineering can be with solving real-world problems.”