“The Turning Point Is on Its Way!”

Interview with Rainer Joest, President Automotive Sales at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies

But Freudenberg was one of the players that moved directly into research and development at the time – and stuck with the concept. “We have been developing it for nearly 20 years, partly in cooperation with academic partners,” said Rainer Joest, President Automotive Sales. The technology’s advantages are still very plausible. Fuel cell vehicles run emission-free and they can be fueled very quickly. They don’t have the problems with range that electric cars have. Fuel cells are especially attractive for the heavyweights: trucks, buses and even ships. After all, their electric versions would have to haul around giant batteries due to the vehicles’ size. But fuel cells cannot play out their advantages if there aren’t enough hydrogen filling stations.

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Interview with Nils Martens, Senior Vice President Battery and Fuel Cell Systems Division at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies

But the two Freudenberg experts are convinced that things are going tochange – even if the design of a fuel cell is highly complex, the demands on the right materials are enormous, and the vehicle makers are still tinkering with their concepts. With their collective experience and expertise, companies like Freudenberg are already highlighting the way forward. “We have developed special, made-to-order materials,” Joest said. Over the next few years, Freudenberg intends to target niches such as buses, ships and rail vehicles for tests and further development so it will be ready when the automakers are. “The turning point is on its way,” Martens said.

Read the complete interview in Essential.

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