UK - Whilst it seemed somewhat subdued at this year's 2024 Cenex event (September 4- 5 at the UTAC Millbrook proving ground in Northamptonshire, UK), the event still managed to attract over 4000 visitors and over 220 exhibitors. Cenex is the UK’s premier event for the future of mobility, combining insights from the Low Carbon Vehicle (LCV) and Connected Automated Mobility (CAM) sectors. The event focused on the supply chain, technology, and market developments in the push towards Net Zero and connected autonomous vehicles. Key highlights included extensive seminars covering electrification and alternative fuels (including hydrogen), product launches and government and industry collaboration. The T&BB team was out in full force to bring you all the latest news.

Truck and Bus Manufacturers

Kicking off with UK bus builder Wrightbus, the company showcased a demonstration vehicle powered by a 300-kW fuel cell driveline, developed as part of a joint project to decarbonise the coach segment. The hydrogen coach demonstrator is powered by four ‘StackPack’ 75-kW fuel cell stacks, made by Symbio in France. Following its presentation at Cenex, the vehicle has been put into “shadow service” on operator Translink’s routes in Northern Ireland to test its performance. Although it is described as a “coach”, the vehicle shown was in fact based on the single deck ‘GB Kite Hydroliner’ bus model launched in 2021. According to initial tests, the demonstrator vehicle can cover 1,000 kilometres before needing to be refuelled.

The ’CoacH2’ project, worth GBP1.2m and including partners such as Translink and Queen’s University Belfast, aims to produce an electric vehicle which can meet the demands of coach operation, including heavy payloads and long-distance routes. Around half of the funding has come from the non-profit research and development consortium, Advanced Propulsion Centre.

Wrightbus hydrogen coach demonstration vehicle at Cenex Expo 2024

A busy time for the UK arm of the Dutch OEM DAF Trucks as they continue to push electrification plans in the UK. On the stand, was the new generation XB electric truck which made its UK debut at the Road Transport Expo (RTX) in June. As part of their effort to lead in zero-emission urban transportation, the XB Electric is designed for city distribution with battery options ranging from 141 to 282 kWh, offering up to 350 kilometres of range. It features fast-charging capabilities, allowing 20% to 80% charging in 40 to 70 minutes, depending on battery size. Alongside the XB Electric, DAF also highlighted PACCAR Power Solutions, which include advanced charging systems and energy management tools aimed at helping fleets transition to electric mobility more effectively.

DAF XB electric

We spoke to Phil Moon, Marketing Manager at DAF Trucks UK who told us that DAF has joined an international platform called HDV Booking, which aims to streamline the reservation of public charging stations for electric trucks across Europe. This initiative is part of a larger effort to improve the efficiency and availability of charging infrastructure for long-distance electric truck transport. The system will enable fleet operators to plan routes more effectively by reserving charging points, taking into account variables such as traffic and driver rest periods. This platform, which includes a consortium of various partners (charging facility providers, software developers, etc.), is expected to be fully operational by 2026. DAF’s participation aligns with its commitment to supporting the transition to zero-emission transport, offering electric trucks like the XD and XF Electric with ranges of up to 500 km, extendable to 1,000 km per day with optimised charging during breaks

Moon made us aware of a new face in the Haddenham office, Louis Jones, who has been appointed to the role of EV & Connected Services Director. Jones will lead the development of DAF’s electric vehicle (EV) programme in the UK, overseeing sales, aftersales, the dealer network’s EV strategy and the rollout of charging infrastructure. 

Finally, Moon explained that DAF Trucks UK celebrated 50 years of DAFaid, its roadside assistance service. Over the years, it has evolved into a comprehensive service, handling around 100,000 roadside jobs annually, including support for non-DAF vehicles like trailers, buses, and agricultural equipment. The service is available 24/7, with an average call response time of eight seconds and a travel time of around 50 minutes to the job site. DAF Trucks UK claim that over 80% of issues are resolved at the roadside, with most vehicles back on the road within 110 minutes. DAFaid's milestone coincides with a management change: Andy Mudie was appointed as the new DAFaid & Aftersales Systems Manager, following Matt Coates, who transitioned to head DAF's training portfolio​.

T&BB spoke to Vanessa Kelly, Head of Corporate Relations at Glasgow-based start-up manufacturer Hydrogen Vehicle Systems (HVS) who told us that HVS is entering another funding (Series B) round in October this year as the engineers continue to forge ahead with its attribute prototype (AP) build. The initial build of the first of the prototype rigs at the Silverstone site will shortly be despatched to UTAC for the initial rig testing. The build of several other APs is currently underway. Kelly told us that the company is also in the process of setting up a testing rig at the UTAC Millbrook facility.

This of course is on the back of the announcement of multiple trials including with Irish frozen logistics company, McCulla Transport (Ireland) Ltd who will be trialling HVS HFC trucks at three of its facilities in Lisburn, Dublin and Mallusk in late 2025. UK building materials manufacturer, Mannok Build Ltd, is also set to trial the HGVs in Q4 2025. The companies will be able to assess the performance of the vehicles and explore the potential of integrating some vehicles into their fleets. HVS has consistently claimed that its trucks will be available to the market in late 2025. Kelly told us that the company has signed a deal to supply 30 fuel cell HGVs to UK logistics company, Explore Plant & Transport Solutions in 2025. Furthermore, the agreement encompasses a maintenance, servicing and driver training (safe use of hydrogen) contract.

HVS HFC truck

Components Suppliers, Batteries and Projects

Norwich-based repowering company Equipmake debuted its new next-gen HTM-3500 electric motor for the CV sector. This product is a significant upgrade to its heavy-duty electric motor technology with the new HTM-3500 motor, doubling the continuous power output of its predecessor. The product is aimed at buses, coaches, trucks, and off-highway vehicles, and maintains peak figures of 3500Nm of torque and 400kW of power. However, the continuous power has been increased from 100kW to 200kW at 2500rpm. This improvement enhances the motor’s performance and efficiency during heavy vehicle operations, such as in electric buses and trucks, by providing more reliable power over extended periods.

The HTM-3500 is a direct-drive motor designed to integrate seamlessly into existing vehicle systems without the need for a separate transmission, making it ideal for transitioning from internal combustion engines to zero-emission vehicles. This development showcases Equipmake’s continued focus on accelerating the electrification of heavy-duty vehicles in multiple markets, as the demand for electric powertrains rapidly increases​.

Ian Foley, CEO of Equipmake (left) and the new HTM-3500 motor (Right)

The company also announced that the HTM 3500 motor will be integrated into South American bus builder Argale’s MT17.0e bus. The buses are being manufactured in Argentina and have already been tested successfully in Buenos Aires. This project is part of a broader effort that Equipmake has been working on for six years to develop affordable electric buses for the region.

Finally, as the company continues to expand, Equipmake has made several additions to its senior management team, including the appointment of Dr Nicholas Moelders as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO), replacing James Bishop who stepped down. Glenn Saint is now the new Business Development Director and Jinsong Dai is the new Vice President of Sales and Business Development.

Dr Nicholas Moelders, the new Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Equipmake

Moving onto battery and battery management software (BMS), the BMS arm of FPT Industrial, Potenza Technology, displayed its latest (fifth-generation) BMS designed to be compatible with 400V and 800V battery systems. This new BMS offers flexibility and scalability, allowing manufacturers to configure it based on specific vehicle needs. The system is also modular and scalable, enabling production in volumes ranging from niche applications to mass production. This adaptability makes it suitable for both smaller, specialised vehicles and larger commercial needs. The BMS is designed to maximise the efficiency and performance of the batteries while being cost-effective, helping manufacturers reduce the overall costs of vehicle development​.

As the company looks to expand, T&BB was told that the company is planning on moving into a new, much larger HQ in Coventry, in Q1 2025. This will house more staff as Potenza looks to double its workforce by the end of 2026.

Potenza stand at Cenex 2024

The project icebreaker HFC HGV prototype truck was on display at Cenex. The initiative, led by technology start-up Viritech*, Horiba MIRA and hydrogen fuel-cell technology company, Intelligent Energy** based in Loughborough, UK, teamed up to build a commercially competitive 44-tonne proof of concept Hydrogen Fuel Cell (HFC) heavy goods truck to help make hydrogen power commercially viable for large trucks. The proof-of-concept vehicle was assembled, deployed and tested at the MIRA Technology Park in Nuneaton, UK. The project prototype is expected to be tested by operators and OEMs during the rest of 2024.

The key innovation in Project Icebreaker lies in the use of hydrogen fuel cells as the primary power source, supported by a small, high-power battery. The system includes a high-efficiency DC-DC converter and a compact 16 kWh battery pack, optimising energy management for long-distance transportation. The project aims to overcome the major challenges of hydrogen fuel cell technology, such as high system weight and cost. By reducing the need for large battery packs and using intelligent energy management, the truck is designed to maintain payload capacity and offer cost parity with diesel trucks by the early 2030s.

Intelligent Energy provided the HFC technology, with Viritech providing the energy management hardware and software to manage the vehicle whilst the Horiba MIRA engineers brought their vehicle expertise in thermal systems modelling, systems integration, validation and certification to the project.

*Founded in 2021 in London, Viritech’s focus is powertrain energy management. They supply all the technology between the fuel cell and the traction motor, both as individual products and as complete systems.

**Founded in 2001, Intelligent Energy Limited is focused on the development and manufacture of its lightweight hydrogen fuel cell products ranging from 800W to 300kW+ for customers in the automotive, aerospace and telecoms sectors. The company is headquartered and manufactures in Loughborough in the UK, with additional offices and representation in the US, Japan, China and South Korea.

***Project ICEBreaker is a short-term, high-momentum project that commences next month and focuses on the integration of developing technologies to deliver a working proof-of-concept vehicle in the short term.

Project Icebreaker HFC truck prototype

Whilst on the Horiba MIRA stand T&BB caught up with Tom Moakes, Senior Technical Sales Lead of Propulsion and Electromobility at the company. Moakes informed us that the Mira Technology (MTP) Park in Nuneaton is close to rolling out its hydrogen refuelling capabilities, producing its own green hydrogen on-site, which refers to hydrogen produced using renewable energy sources like wind, solar, or hydropower, making it a zero-emission fuel. The original 2021 plan, set out to develop a green refuelling forecourt providing hydrogen onsite at MTP, expanding Horiba MIRA’s testing-as-a-service to support next-gen mobility companies. The onsite generation is set to supply MTP with 300kg of green hydrogen daily.

MTP currently houses over forty global companies in the zero-carbon mobility sector, with many seeking to incorporate a green hydrogen solution into their product range. New tenants include REE Automotive Ltd and Viritech Ltd, with the latter exclusively focused on the development of hydrogen technologies.

Horiba Mira stand at Cenex 2024

Cenex 2024 highlighted the automotive industry's collective focus on sustainability, with breakthroughs in green manufacturing, hydrogen mobility, and battery technologies taking centre stage. Panel members at the various seminars stressed the need for cooperation between vehicle manufacturers, infrastructure providers, and regulators. The seminars themselves focused on the need for a cohesive regulatory framework to guide CAM technology deployment in the UK. There were of course discussions centred around the infrastructure challenges to support the rollout of zero-emission vehicles as well as the emerging use cases for automated transportation.