After the encouraging results of the Sapphire project, SINTEF leads the Giantleap project, which through similar techniques aims to increase the lifetime and reliability of fuel cells in another, more challenging domain: automotive applications.
The project focuses on realising a hydrogen-fuelled range extender for battery city buses, which may be connected or disconnected directly by operators. This will allow high flexibility for bus companies, who will be able to convert their battery city buses into fuel-cell buses with much higher range.
SINTEF's role in the project is developing control algorithms able to exploit the information from the prognostic system, in addition to coordinating the project.
Project partners:
- University of Split, diagnostics
- University of Franche-Comté, prognostics
- ElringKlinger, fuel-cell stack modules
- Bosch Engineering, system integration
- VDL, integration into city bus
Giantleap's budget is 3.2 million €, fully funded by the EU through the Fuel Cells & Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (a part of Horizon 2020).
