The Carbon4Tank H2 storage vessel from Voith has been approved for road use under the guidelines of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

With unprecedented dimensions, the 700 bar and 350 litre hydrogen capacity tank is now ready to be applied in heavy-duty trucks and other commercial vehicles, marking an important milestone in scaling up the zero-emission heavy goods transportation market.

Hydrogen fuel will play a key part sustainable transportation in the future and trucks powered by it have the potential to achieve long ranges, enabling rapid recharging while avoiding emissions.

New composite processes were employed from the start during the development of the towpreg-wound Carbon4Tank, to enable automotive qualities and high volumes in production. It had to meet stringent performance requirements to receive certification for on-road service, including testing for burst pressure, pressure cycle life, expected on-road performance, fire safety, component isolation and a combination of these tests.

“This certification follows an intensive development period and recognises the hard work and expertise of our team in producing composites at scale for the automotive industry,” said Voith Composites CEO Anna Pointner. “Our emphasis on high-quality data is critical when ensuring absolute safety and consistency in manufacturing, which this certification demands.”

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