Abt takes hydrogen powertrain for commercial vehicles into production

We mainly know Abt as the tuner that makes Audis faster and more striking, but in addition to the Sportsline branch that does that, Abt has a department called E-line. It is involved in the development of ‘clean’ powertrains. Over the past three years, the focus has been on the development of a hydrogen-powered powertrain for commercial vehicles. It is now production ready.

Depending on the model in which that powertrain is used, it has two to seven hydrogen tanks. Abt says that fitting in sufficient tank capacity was one of the biggest challenges when developing the powertrain, but the result is impressive. The most extensive configurations are good for a driving range that is ‘hundreds of kilometers longer’ than that of electric vans that store their energy in batteries. The hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles would go further ‘on one tank’ than their diesel equivalents.

production

Although Abt is convinced of the usefulness of commercial vehicles with batteries for transport over shorter distances, it shows that they are not suitable for long-distance transport. His new powertrain should offer a solution for this. It was first shown at the ‘IAA Transportation’ in Hanover last September. There, according to Abt, the interest in the product was great enough to take it into production.

The Kempten-based company in southern Germany does not specifically mention when and where production will start. The development phase of the powertrain has been fully completed, so it will not be long before the first vans with a hydrogen cell from Abt are on the road. That cell can in any case be used in the Volkswagen Crafter, but in all probability also in commercial vehicles of other brands.