Page 26 - ITAtube Journal 1 2022

Technical Papers
Messe Düsseldorf
wire and Tube 2022 in June in Düsseldorf: The stuff that drives the car industry
Hydrogen-powered vehicles have already tackled the first stretches. And some experts are sure that many more will follow. For them, fuel cell vehicles are the future of the automotive industry. But still H2-cars are a long way from conquering the roads of the world. It is clear, however, that
also want to take. The BMW Group’s view is that hydrogen vehicles are an important alternative and supplement to electric battery engines. “From 2025 at the earliest, and depending on market requirements and general conditions, the BMW Group will offer vehicles with fuel cells to custom- ers,” the car manufacturer announced. Mercedes already has a pre-series model on the road. Other companies also have produced the first fuel cell vehicles. It’s just a start, because so far only a few hundred of them are on German roads.
High quality cables
The change towards electric and hydro- gen cars has consequences for the cable industry. This is because, unlike the internal combustion engine car, there are no cables in connection with the fuel system. In terms of wiring, the hydrogen car is more similar to the electric car - but the main difference is the origin of energy production. In the fuel cell - instead of in the battery as in the electric car - the hydrogen is converted
into electrical energy. In both electrically powered vehicles, the electrical energy finally finds the engine and drives it. So H2-powered cars and electric cars have an electric engine. Both in the case of pure battery technology and a hydrogen system with fuel cells, the functional units must
be connected with cables. Electric cars and hydrogen cars needed more cables and wires in total than a car with an internal combustion engine.
The development of fuel cell vehicles is challenging the cable industry not only
in terms of quantity, but also in terms of quality, as higher quality cables are needed. Because hydrogen is extremely flammable. The drive components including cables
and tubes must be designed and protected accordingly.
ITAtube Journal April 2022
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hydrogen cars need powerful cables and tubes. The industry has to prepare for this development now in order to be able to pick up speed in time.
Emission-free driving without having to change over in everyday life - that sounds promising. Because the H2-car can be refuelled within minutes and has a range of over 500 kilometres. Impressive arguments that could make battery-based electric cars only see the tail-lights. Mind you, “could”, because there are still only a few hydrogen filling stations and the purchase prices are significantly higher compared to other cars.
Hydrogen-driven buses
Some auto manufacturers are already on course when it comes to using H2-pow- ered engines. For example, a hydrogen express bus is already on the road in Pau, France. 125 people can take a seat to cover a six-kilometre stretch between a station in the south and the north of the city. A direction that some car manufacturers