Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News
  • Automobilwoche
  • Automotive News Canada
  • Automotive News China
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletters
  • Login
  • HOME
    • Latest news
    • Automakers
    • Suppliers
    • New Product
    • Environment/Emissions
    • Sales By Market
    • On The Move
    • Auto Shows
    • Munich Auto Show
    • Geneva Auto Show
    • Paris Auto Show
    • Beijing Auto Show
    • Shanghai Auto Show
  • Features
    • Long Read
    • Interview of the Month
    • Focus on Electrification
    • Focus on Technology
    • Segment Analysis
    • Cars & Concepts
    • Supplier Spotlight
    • Europe By The Numbers
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Commentary
    • Guest columnists
  • Photos
    • Photo Galleries
    • Geneva Photo Gallery
    • Beijing Photo Gallery
    • Frankfurt Photo Gallery
    • Paris Photo Gallery
    • Shanghai Photo Gallery
  • Podcasts
  • Car Cutaways
  • EVENTS
    • ANE Congress
    • ANE Rising Stars
    • ANE Eurostars
  • More
    • Publishing Partners
    • Social Media
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • About Us
    • Capgemini: All or nothing: Why circular business models require a holistic approach
    • Capgemini: Invent Head on automotive takeaways from CES 2023
    • Capgemini: Securing the industry's future through a radical rethink
    • Capgemini: Succeeding with the automated driving journey through AI
    • Capgemini: The circular economy is spurring new thinking on EV batteries
    • Capgemini: Toyota and Capgemini leaders on how OEMs can handle industry changes and succeed
    • HEXAGON: Plugging into data is the only way to make winning EVs
    • TUV Rheinland: Ideas, services and certifications for smart mobility
    • TUV Rheinland: Testing of automated and autonomous vehicles on test tracks
    • Toyota Europe
    • UFI Filters
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Focus on Technology
January 15, 2022 04:08 AM

BMW, ZF supplier aims to convert diesels into hydrogen-fueled powerplants

Former GM Europe tech center will engineer zero-emissions solutions

Luca Ciferri
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Punch hydrogen-powered GM Duramax V-8

    Punch Group is testing an evolution of the GM Duramax 6.6-liter V-8 that is powered by hydrogen instead of diesel.

    Guido Dumarey is an outspoken Belgian engineer who in 1986 created Punch Group, a family-owned collection of businesses and investments in Europe with annual revenue of more than 500 million euros.

    Much of that revenue comes from Punch Group's automotive arm, which supplies powertrain parts and engineering services.

    Dumarey, who is CEO at Punch Group, specializes in buying what he calls “widows,” which are struggling businesses that the owners are willing to sell at deep discounts to save jobs. The widows are restructured and many of them are sold, often as part of an initial public offering.

    Two key parts of Punch Group’s existing portfolio are discarded General Motors units in Europe: a transmission plant in Strasbourg, France, and a propulsion engineering center in Turin.

    The Strasbourg plant, bought in 2012 and renamed Punch Powerglide, received 250 million euros in funding to expand its products and production.

    Today the factory supplies six- and eight-speed automatic transmissions to BMW, ZF Friedrichshafen as well as Chinese, Russian and Indian automakers.

    Punch Group says that restructuring saved 1,000 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs in Strasbourg.

    After six years of trying, Punch in 2020 convinced GM to sell its Turin engineering complex, which had served as U.S. automaker’s global center of competence for diesels since 2005.

    Purchasing the business, which was created by GM in 2005 after it separated from Fiat Auto, gave Punch Group access to more than 700 engineers and technicians who work at the Turin Polytechnic Citadel.

    Dumarey plans to use all that knowledge and experience to transform diesels into CO2-free, hydrogen-fuel powerplants. He explained how in an interview with Automotive News Europe Associate Publisher and Editor Luca Ciferri.

    Punch plans to begin producing hydrogen-fueled powerplant from diesel engines by 2024. What is the rationale?

    It is relatively simple: Europe and China are mandating zero emissions for any type of transportation. Battery-powered vehicles are one option, but not the only option, particularly for heavy trucks and light commercial vehicles. The most relevant figure for those vehicles is the available payload. But to increase range you need more batteries, which adds weight and reduces the payload. Therefore, we think that converting diesel engines to burn hydrogen provides a very efficient way to offer CO2-free mobility that is beneficial both technically and socially.

    Punch Group CEO Guido Dumarey expects the rise of electrified cars to result in "plenty of 'widow' diesel engine plants around Europe."

    Why socially?

    The automotive industry, particularly in Europe, has made massive investments in diesel technology, ranging from the engines to the injection and control systems and more. All these investments – and most of the jobs connected to diesels – are at risk of extinction if we will go to battery-power only.

    What are the biggest technical challenges in converting a diesel to burn hydrogen?

    Hydrogen burns seven times faster than diesel, so you need to decrease the temperature in the combustion chamber. Water injection is a proven technology to do this, but a negative side effect is that this creates corrosion. Lubrication is another potential issue for an engine that tends to be very dry, so spray lubrication is the only solution. The engine itself only needs minor changes to the cylinder head. The injection and control systems also need to be reworked to handle hydrogen.

    Is it more difficult to convert a gasoline engine into a hydrogen-burning powertrain?

    Not really. The main issue is durability. Modern diesels are designed to last for 350,000 km while gasoline engines designed to last for about 250,000 km.

    Punch Group plans to start producing hydrogen-fueled engines by 2024. What will be in the portfolio?

    We are working on CO2-free solutions ranging in power from 80 kilowatt hours to 400 kWh (109 to 544 hp). At the top of the range, we are currently testing an evolution of the GM Duramax 6.6-liter V-8. (This unit was designed by the Turin center under GM. Punch has the rights to sell the hydrogen-powered variant of the engine worldwide, while the diesel version can be sold everywhere except the U.S.) Then we are working on a 500 cc combustion chamber that can accommodate several displacements, from  a 3.0-liter V-6 to a 2.0-liter I-4. We also have the ability to make a 1.5-liter three-cylinder, but it is not on our near-term plans.

    Looking at Punch Group’s history, are you already targeting any potential diesel engine factories to add?

    I cannot say anything specific, but you can easily imagine there will soon be plenty of “widow” diesel engine plants around Europe.

    Why do you expect a top down spread of hydrogen-powered engines?

    Mainly because of the limitation of the recharging infrastructure. By 2023-24, Europe should start to have in place a significant number of hydrogen stations on major highways. (The EU Green Deal proposes there should be hydrogen refueling stations every 150 km on Trans-European Transport Network corridors by 2030.) That will be enough for heavy trucks. Light commercial vehicles up to the size of a Ford Transit will follow.

    And what about passenger cars?

    Here the challenge is more on the package than on the technology. A car needs a tank capable of storing about 4 kg of hydrogen. While the weight of the tank is a fraction of a battery pack – about 50 kg versus several hundred kilograms for the batteries – the tank requires a space of approximately 100 liters. This is a significant packaging challenge if you want to house the tank in the trunk of a sedan. It’s even more problematic with hatchbacks. For passenger cars, we think the more promising solution is an electrified flywheel, which we call a Flybrid.

    What is a Flybrid?

    It is a mechanical flywheel that runs at speeds up to 42,000 rpm and gives kinetic energy recuperated while braking back to the wheels. The kinetic energy is used to reduce the engine load at start and when accelerating. We have a second application where a generator is connected to the flywheel to charge a small battery. Here the stored energy is given back to the vehicle using a motor inserted in the transmission, similar to what happens with full hybrids. We have been testing this solution in some taxis in London, where we have seen fuel consumption savings of about 34 percent. We have also tested the Flybrid on a Jaguar XF diesel, delivering a 22 percent reduction in fuel consumption.

    DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up and get the top news of the day in Europe every business weekday.

    You have had a very successful career in automotive, any regrets about deals that did not get done?

    My failed attempt to buy GM’s Holden plant in Adelaide, Australia. That plant produced vehicles on a very good rear-wheel-drive platform, Omega. I moved into the powertrain sector because the best platform for multiple applications is rear-wheel drive and I lost it. But it is what it is. (GM and Punch ended negotiations for the plant in February 2016, with operations halting in October 2017. A total of 7.6 million cars were built at the factory over 69 years).

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    EV tax rules lift Magna Steyr's hopes for U.S. production
    Recommended for You
    Magna Steyr Rtrs web.jpg
    EV tax rules lift Magna Steyr's hopes for U.S. production
    Nio ES8 with Mobileye tech during testing
    Mobileye, Holo race to get Nio robotaxis ready for Norway debut
    Marelli sign
    Marelli reaches deal with unions to cut 400 jobs in Italy
    Sign up for free newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up and get the best of Automotive News Europe delivered straight to your email inbox, free of charge. Choose your news – we will deliver.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    SUBSCRIBE TODAY

    Get 24/7 access to in-depth, authoritative coverage of the auto industry from a global team of reporters and editors covering the news that’s vital to your business.

    SUBSCRIBE NOW
    Connect with Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Instagram

    Founded in 1996, Automotive News Europe is the preferred information source for decision-makers and opinion leaders operating in Europe.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI  48207-2997
    Tel: +1 877-812-1584

    Email Us

    ISSN 2643-6590 (print)
    ISSN 2643-6604 (online)

     

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise with us
    • Advertise with Us
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Awards
    • Rising Stars
    • Eurostars
    • Leading Women
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Automotive News Europe
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • HOME
      • Latest news
      • Automakers
      • Suppliers
      • New Product
      • Environment/Emissions
      • Sales By Market
      • On The Move
      • Auto Shows
        • Munich Auto Show
        • Geneva Auto Show
        • Paris Auto Show
        • Beijing Auto Show
        • Shanghai Auto Show
    • Features
      • Long Read
      • Interview of the Month
      • Focus on Electrification
      • Focus on Technology
      • Segment Analysis
      • Cars & Concepts
      • Supplier Spotlight
      • Europe By The Numbers
    • Opinion
      • Blogs
      • Commentary
      • Guest columnists
    • Photos
      • Photo Galleries
      • Geneva Photo Gallery
      • Beijing Photo Gallery
      • Frankfurt Photo Gallery
      • Paris Photo Gallery
      • Shanghai Photo Gallery
    • Podcasts
    • Car Cutaways
    • EVENTS
      • ANE Congress
      • ANE Rising Stars
      • ANE Eurostars
    • More
      • Publishing Partners
        • Capgemini: All or nothing: Why circular business models require a holistic approach
        • Capgemini: Invent Head on automotive takeaways from CES 2023
        • Capgemini: Securing the industry's future through a radical rethink
        • Capgemini: Succeeding with the automated driving journey through AI
        • Capgemini: The circular economy is spurring new thinking on EV batteries
        • Capgemini: Toyota and Capgemini leaders on how OEMs can handle industry changes and succeed
        • HEXAGON: Plugging into data is the only way to make winning EVs
        • TUV Rheinland: Ideas, services and certifications for smart mobility
        • TUV Rheinland: Testing of automated and autonomous vehicles on test tracks
        • Toyota Europe
        • UFI Filters
      • Social Media
        • Facebook
        • Instagram
        • LinkedIn
        • Twitter
      • Contact Us
      • Media Kit
      • About Us