Mercedes-Benz looks for solutions in the hydrogen engine!

Mercedes-Benz as a company has a wide variety of offers for various business sectors. From small SUVs to large trucks and other types of offers necessary to meet the needs of many companies.

That said, the big news today is the company’s bet on the hydrogen engine with the Mercedes-Benz Unimog already on the streets!

The company’s intention is to eventually use diesel as the main fuel, in a necessary fight to reduce carbon emissions in special use vehicles. In this specific case, the manufacturer placed a Unimog equipped with a hydrogen engine with performance equivalent to current versions with diesel engines.

Test car is the Mercedes Unimog U430!

In detail, know that this special-use truck currently has a 7.7L six-cylinder engine capable, in normal use, of producing 295 hp and 1200 nm of torque. However, when modified to run on hydrogen, this same engine sees a slight reduction in performance, with a total of 286 hp and 1000 nm of torque.

Interestingly, Mercedes reported despite the reduction in power there is a positive reduction when the engine uses hydrogen and is “visibly quieter”.

Autonomy is still not enough!

Thus, regarding storage, this Mercedes Unimog U430 has 14 kg of hydrogen at a pressure of 10,152 psi or 700bar. However, the company reported that it is necessary to increase this volume even further, so that the vehicle in question can work for a whole day without needing to refuel.

Therefore, bear in mind that even Mercedes looks at hydrogen as a complementary solution to decarbonization. Necessarily and correctly used for “special applications” and this in conjunction with the necessary electrification to make the offerings even more efficient.

In short, although there are no efficiency numbers, the truth is that the evolution of the hydrogen engine will not stop anytime soon. However, increasingly manufacturers are looking at hydrogen as an aid to decarbonization as opposed to an ideal solution.

Furthermore, what do you think about hydrogen in the automotive market? Share your opinion with us in the comments below.

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