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6/29/2023
Transformation of the drives
Report
The hydrogen engine under the bonnet
In an innovation project, two companies from the automotive industry have developed a vehicle with a hydrogen engine and a multi-stage safety system. The basis is the Ligier JS2 racing car. The project demonstrates a climate-friendly drive alternative for high-performance applications such as motor sports. The vehicle was presented to the public at the 100th anniversary of Le Mans in France.
A high-performance vehicle with a hydrogen engine, the Ligier JS2 RH2, was presented to the public for the first time at the Le Mans endurance race in June 2023. Bosch Engineering and Ligier Automotive upgraded the Ligier JS2, a vehicle with a conventional combustion engine, accordingly to demonstrate performance and development potential. This will be further developed in the future.
The converted race car has a V6 hydrogen engine and a carbon monocoque in which three 700 bar type four hydrogen cylinders are integrated. The engine with biturbo charging has an output of 420 kilowatts – or 571 hp. The vehicle is characterised by low-nitrogen and stable combustion, even at high loads and speeds.
The vehicle's multi-stage hydrogen safety concept includes the storage system with the high-pressure tanks, the pressure regulators and supply lines to the engine, and the injection system. A series of measures ensure that gases are discharged to the outside so that they cannot enter the passenger compartment or hot engine compartment components. A corresponding sensor system detects leaks in the system.
Adapted overall dynamics and multi-level safety concept
The converted race car has a V6 hydrogen engine and a carbon monocoque in which three 700 bar type four hydrogen cylinders are integrated. The engine with biturbo charging has an output of 420 kilowatts – or 571 hp. The vehicle is characterised by low-nitrogen and stable combustion, even at high loads and speeds.The vehicle's multi-stage hydrogen safety concept includes the storage system with the high-pressure tanks, the pressure regulators and supply lines to the engine, and the injection system. A series of measures ensure that gases are discharged to the outside so that they cannot enter the passenger compartment or hot engine compartment components. A corresponding sensor system detects leaks in the system.
Depending on the type and severity of the defect, the system triggers a multistage active safety concept, ranging from a warning to the driver on the display to a shutdown of individual line circuits up to an entire system shutdown.
Johannes-Jörg Rüger, President, Bosch Engineering GmbH
