Bosch starts volume production of fuel cell power module for heavy duty mobility

Bosch has begun volume production of its fuel cell power module at its Stuttgart Feuerbach plant, marking a transition from development programs to industrial scale manufacturing in hydrogen propulsion.

The fuel cell power module, FCPM, is designed for heavy duty applications and comprises several hundred individual components. The integrated unit weighs more than 500 kilograms and occupies approximately 1.5 square meters of installation space. It combines the fuel cell stack with key system components required for vehicle level integration.

• Nikola Corporation in the United States will serve as the initial customer, integrating the system into its Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell electric truck platform.
• Global manufacturing footprint for hydrogen systems
• Bosch is positioning the fuel cell module within a global production network.
• The fuel cell stack is supplied from Bamberg, Germany
• Electric air compressors and recirculation blowers are produced in Homburg, Germany
• Parallel production is starting in Chongqing, China, with components from Wuxi
• Stack production for mobile applications is planned in Anderson, South Carolina, United States
• This distributed manufacturing model signals readiness for higher volume demand across regions.

Bosch states that it is among the few suppliers capable of scaling complex fuel cell stack technology to mass production, combining system integration expertise with established automotive manufacturing processes.

Investment and hydrogen portfolio expansion

Between 2021 and 2026, Bosch plans to invest approximately 2.5 billion euros in hydrogen technologies. By 2030, the company targets hydrogen related sales of around 5 billion euros.

Beyond mobile fuel cell systems, Bosch is developing:

Electrolysis stacks for hydrogen production based on proton exchange membrane technology

Stationary solid oxide fuel cell systems for distributed power and heat generation

Hydrogen internal combustion engines with port and direct injection concepts

A pilot project in Germany is testing solid oxide fuel cells in a hospital environment, targeting overall system efficiencies of up to 90 percent, initially using natural gas with conversion capability to green hydrogen.

Implications for bus and heavy vehicle OEMs

The start of volume production represents an important maturity signal for hydrogen propulsion in heavy vehicles.

For bus and coach manufacturers evaluating fuel cell platforms, relevant factors include:

Industrial scale stack production capability

Availability of integrated power modules

Global supply chain support

System level components such as compressors and balance of plant

Hydrogen fuel cell electric drives are positioned as suitable for long range, high utilization and high payload applications, particularly where battery electric range or charging time constraints are limiting.