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Partner with us to pass your type approval process for your hydrogen fuel cell vehicles successfully.
What is driving the shift towards hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the automotive industry?
Critical issues such as climate change, local emissions, and security of supply are driving a move away from fossil fuels. Hydrogen, with its excellent storage properties, offers enormous potential. While efficient batteries will remain a key zero-emission solution, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are also crucial to achieving an emission-free mobility ecosystem.
The EU and other legislative bodies are introducing stricter automotive regulations to reduce carbon emissions. This includes the EU green deal which mandates that only zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) can be approved from 2035. The UK, Japan, California and other states are setting similar targets. Manufacturers must navigate this complex regulatory landscape and meet specific requirements to gain market access for their hydrogen vehicles, systems, and components.
TÜV SÜD's experts help manufacturers throughout the hydrogen vehicle certification and type approval process to comply with relevant regulations and standards and gain access to global markets. This helps manufacturers to get their hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles safely on the road.
Why type approval for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, systems, and components is important
Hydrogen propulsions are considered key technologies for achieving climate goals. Vehicles emitting zero, or virtually zero harmful tank-to-wheel emissions, are categorised as zero and low emission vehicles (ZLEV). Their numbers are expected to increase in the next few years.
Hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) will only contribute to lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions if they are proven to be safe and reliable. Manufacturers must therefore achieve a safe market launch in compliance with regulatory requirements. This involves gaining legal permission for your hydrogen vehicles to access global markets.
As the regulatory landscape for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles is still evolving, it is important to understand existing regulations and standards and identify those that are relevant to your hydrogen technologies. This is why working with an experienced partner like TÜV SÜD is essential. By ensuring your product liability and due diligence, you can increase market trust in your hydrogen vehicles, components, and systems and enhance your brand reputation.
How TÜV SÜD can help you achieve type approval for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, systems, and components
Our TÜV SÜD homologation experts support you from the concept phase along the entire development process, until you achieve hydrogen vehicle certification and type approval for your FCEV. This streamlined process ensures the safety and quality of your hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, systems, and components over the product lifetime.
TÜV SÜD's experts have a deep understanding of the regulatory landscape for your hydrogen technologies. We can help you identify the relevant automotive regulations and standards for your fuel cell electric vehicle in your target markets to optimise test programmes. We perform the required hydrogen vehicle certification and approval tests at material, component, and system level in our test laboratories. In addition, we also take care of paperwork and formal requirements for relevant authorities.
By working with us, you can demonstrate compliance with automotive regulations and avoid penalties and recalls. We help you successfully bring your hydrogen products to market by demonstrating the highest safety standards for your hydrogen mobility products.
What our type approval services for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, systems and components include
We offer the following FCEV type approval services and type tests along the entire value chain and product life cycle:
- International and national type approval of hydrogen-powered vehicles, e.g. EU type approval according to (EU) 2018/858.
- Individual approval, according to (EU) 2018/858, Article 44/45.
- Further types of (national) approvals, such as vehicle modification approval, test vehicle approval or exceptional approval.
- Witness testing for approval and test/approval reports for the authorities.
- Approval/Certification of H2-relevant components and systems (e.g. H2 storage systems – CGH2 & LH2).
- Guided assessment at an early development stage.
- Proprietary TÜV SÜD test mark and auditing for non-regulated H2-components (e.g. fuel cells or non-R134 components).
- Global market access services, e.g. roadmaps of the legal requirements, regulation research for global markets or H2-specific workshops.
- Functional safety assessment e.g. according to ISO 26262.
- Manufacturer initial assessment.
- Conformity of Production (CoP), in service conformity, market surveillance.
- H2-training for safe handling of H2 (Gas and H2 drive sensitization according to DGUV requirements), including TÜV SÜD certification.
