EKPO delivers fuel cell stacks for logistics users to Globe

The ElringKlinger Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH (EKPO) and Globe Fuel Cell Systems GmbH (Globe) have signed a development and supply agreement for fuel cell stacks for the propulsion systems of logistics vehicles. As part of this cooperation, the Swabian automotive supplier and technology group will contribute its expertise on stack peripherals, their interfaces, and parameters for maximum efficiency and longevity. Starting in 2023, they will exclusively supply the stack modules for Globe's fuel cell system, according to the Swabians. The development and supply contract initially runs for four years.

"The agreement with Globe once again shows that our fuel cell stacks offer a wide range of application possibilities. EKPO already has installed capacities to produce fuel cell stacks industrially, which is crucial for executing ambitious and fast-paced projects like the one with Globe," promotes Julien Etienne, Chief Commercial Officer at EKPO.

According to Etienne, the stack modules from Dettingen are supposed to offer the best combination of power density, compact design, and low weight in the market.

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The contractual partner Globe is a young, German green-tech company from Stuttgart, which emerged in 2020 from the innovation division of Mercedes-Benz. There, they develop modular and digitally networked fuel cell units for various applications, such as intralogistics, the marine sector, or for stationary applications.

"The partnership with EKPO allows us even more quality and speed in the development of our XLP series for the intralogistics market," says Steffen Bäuerle, Managing Director at Globe.

He expressed delight at working with a regional partner, thus advancing the GreenTech approach - Made in Germany. The stack family sets benchmarks with values of over 6.0 kW/l in the cell block, the manufacturer promotes. The design of the stacks also offers good conditions for scaling and modularization. This allows Globe's fuel cell system to be designed with high flexibility and efficiency. Over its parent company, the ElringKlinger subsidiary has been developing and researching fuel cell technology for over 20 years. The powerful and compact stacks are based on proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology and convert chemical energy with hydrogen and oxygen into electrical energy.