DEUTZ AG, in collaboration with the Munich-based start-up KEYOU, is paving the path for carbon-neutral mobility by jointly developing commercially viable hydrogen engines for various applications, including off-road and on-road vehicles, as well as power generation.
As a prominent global manufacturer of innovative drive systems, DEUTZ strives to take on a pioneering role in the advancement of high-quality, eco-friendly, and efficient engines.
In addition to the E-DEUTZ strategy launched last year, the partnership with KEYOU marks another significant stride in the progression of alternative drive technologies and fuels.
“The use of alternative fuels like hydrogen is increasingly important. We believe that this drive solution will be a valuable addition to our electrification strategy and will play a fundamental role in shaping the future of zero-emission vehicles,” says Dr. Frank Hiller, CEO of DEUTZ.
By focusing on the development of a hydrogen combustion engine, DEUTZ provides an alternative to fuel-cell technology. Leveraging its expertise in combustion engines, DEUTZ combines it with KEYOU-inside technology, enabling the conversion of conventional production engines to run on hydrogen.
The KEYOU-inside technology boasts excellent scalability for both on-road and off-road applications, making it suitable for a range of hybrid configurations, including integration with electric drives.
KEYOU has developed a prototype of its KEYOU-inside technology, capable of transforming a conventional diesel engine into a cutting-edge hydrogen-based drive. DEUTZ has been a development partner, contributing one of its standard six-cylinder engines and sharing its engineering expertise. The resulting hydrogen combustion engine is highly cost-efficient, positioning it as an attractive alternative to electric drives, fuel-cell drives, and other zero-emission systems.
The public got a glimpse of KEYOU’s first 7.8-liter prototype DEUTZ engine in 2018 at the Bauma China trade fair, followed by its showcase at Bauma in Munich in April 2019. Specific pilot projects with vehicle manufacturers and end users are currently being planned, with the expectation of unveiling the first prototype vehicles in the first half of 2020. The goal is to make them production-ready by 2021/22.
“Our new KEYOU-inside H2 combustion technology is not only cost-efficient, robust, and powerful, but it also seamlessly integrates with DEUTZ engines due to its high scalability,” explains Alvaro Sousa, CTO of KEYOU.
