Bosch has agreed to explore integrating Johnson Matthey’s (JM) catalyst coated membranes (CCMs) into its commercial vehicle hydrogen fuel cell modules.
The German automotive supplier in 2023 started volume production of its up to 300kW fuel cell systems as it targeted €5bn ($5.18bn) of hydrogen technology sales by 2030.
Having used the US zero-emission truck manufacturer Nikola as a pilot customer for the modules, the new partnership with JM is hoped to improve performance and efficiency.
CCMs are essential in PEM fuel cells, combining a proton-conducting membrane with catalyst layers to efficiently convert hydrogen into electricity through electrochemical reactions.
Bosch Mobility Executive Vice-President of Engineering Power Solutions, Beate Grota, said the firm’s fuel cell technology was already set for widespread use, but the partnership would “further increase the performance and efficiency of the fuel cell stacks.”
The partnership comes at a pivotal moment for JM, which has been under investor pressure to scale back spending on its hydrogen technologies business.
