By ATN Editorial Team
Summary: EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies has detailed the EKPO NM12 fuel cell stack at the heart of the 90 kW fuel cell system in HyFleet, a hydrogen-powered side-by-side vehicle developed by BRP-Rotax in collaboration with industry and research partners, which EKPO describes as the world’s first road-legal hydrogen-powered side-by-side. EKPO will present the vehicle at Hydrogen Technology World Expo in Hamburg from 20 to 22 October 2026.
Key engineering takeaway: The EKPO NM12 fuel cell stack provides the basis for a 90 kW fuel cell system that achieves an efficiency of up to 60% and responds rapidly to changes in load. A passive hydrogen recirculation system developed in collaboration with HyCentA uses a two-step needle ejector to reduce mechanical complexity, and the system has cold-start and freeze-start capability at temperatures as low as −20 °C. The vehicle combines a range of up to 400 km with a refuelling time of approximately five minutes.
Why it matters: EKPO says extensive on- and off-road testing under real-world conditions demonstrates the suitability of the system built around the EKPO NM12 fuel cell stack for practical use. HyFleet targets specialty vehicles for agriculture, forestry, tourism, municipal services and industry, applications EKPO says require long operating hours and high availability, and the project covers every stage from local green hydrogen production to the powertrain, vehicle and scalable refuelling infrastructure.
EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies (EKPO) will showcase its portfolio of high-performance fuel cell stacks and components at Hydrogen Technology World Expo in Hamburg from October 20 to 22, 2026. At Booth 7H46 in Hall 7, EKPO will also present HyFleet, the world’s first road-legal hydrogen-powered side-by-side vehicle. The vehicle’s high-performance EKPO NM12 fuel cell stack is proving its capabilities under demanding real-world operating conditions.
Drawing on extensive experience in developing and industrializing fuel cell technology, EKPO is advancing the use of hydrogen across a range of mobility applications. The HyFleet project* illustrates how this technology can also be used in demanding specialty vehicle applications: developed by BRP-Rotax in collaboration with industry and research partners, the side-by-side vehicle combines a range of up to 400 kilometers with a refueling time of approximately five minutes.
EKPO NM12 Fuel Cell Stack And 90 kW System
At the heart of the fuel cell system is EKPO’s high-performance NM12 stack. Delivering high power density, the stack provides the basis for the 90 kW fuel cell system, which achieves an efficiency of up to 60% and responds rapidly to changes in load. Extensive on- and off-road testing under real-world conditions demonstrates the system’s suitability for practical use. A passive hydrogen recirculation system developed in collaboration with HyCentA provides added robustness and efficiency. In this context, an innovative two-step needle ejector reduces mechanical complexity. With cold-start and freeze-start capability at temperatures as low as −20 °C, the system is also designed for winter and alpine conditions.
“HyFleet shows how we are applying our many years of fuel cell expertise to new mobility applications. Hydrogen is particularly well suited to demanding on- and off-road applications that require long operating hours and high availability. Our NM12 fuel cell stack, backed by our expertise in development and industrialization, helps our partners put this potential to work,” says Dr. Stefan Dwenger, Managing Director of EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH.
HyFleet Testing In Hydrogen-Powered Specialty Vehicles
How this potential can be put to practical use is being tested under real-world operating conditions as part of the HyFleet initiative. The project is generating insights into hydrogen-powered specialty vehicles for use in agriculture, forestry, tourism, municipal services, and industry, among other sectors. HyFleet takes an integrated approach to operating hydrogen-powered vehicle fleets: the project considers every stage, from local green hydrogen production to the powertrain, vehicle, and scalable refueling infrastructure. The results also help guide further development and the technology’s use in additional applications.
“HyFleet has demonstrated that a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain can also work successfully in a compact special-purpose vehicle designed for off-road use. In EKPO, we have a partner that brought extensive experience in developing and industrializing fuel cell stacks to the project, along with technology tailored to our needs. EKPO thus played a key role in turning our vehicle concept into reality,” says Stefan Arndt, General Manager BRP-Rotax, VP R&D Powertrain.
Fuel Cell Stack Portfolio And PEM Electrolyzer Bipolar Plates
With more than 20 years of experience in the field of fuel cell technology, EKPO combines extensive technical expertise with industrialization capabilities drawn from the automotive industry. Alongside HyFleet, EKPO will showcase fuel cell stacks and components for a range of mobile and stationary applications at the event in Hamburg. With power outputs ranging from 16 kW to more than 400 kW, the modular platforms are engineered for high power density, efficiency, and dependable operation. EKPO also develops customized stack solutions tailored to each customer’s system architecture and specific requirements.
EKPO’s portfolio extends to green hydrogen production, with metal bipolar plates that the company develops and manufactures for PEM electrolyzers. In this context, the company adapts its know-how in precision forming as well as coating and sealing technologies to the particular demands of electrolysis. The bipolar plates are engineered to withstand demanding operating conditions and support scalable industrial manufacturing.
* The HyFleet project received funding through the Zero Emission Mobility program and was administered by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG).
EKPO NM12 Fuel Cell Stack: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a fuel cell stack?
A fuel cell stack is an assembly of many individual fuel cells connected in series, each generating a fraction of a volt from the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen, so that together they deliver a usable voltage and power output for a vehicle’s electric drive. In HyFleet, the EKPO NM12 fuel cell stack provides the basis for the vehicle’s 90 kW fuel cell system.
What is passive hydrogen recirculation in a fuel cell system?
In a PEM fuel cell system, hydrogen that passes through the anode without reacting is fed back to the stack inlet. A passive system does this with an ejector, which uses the flow of the high-pressure fresh hydrogen supply to draw the recirculated gas back in, rather than an electrically driven recirculation blower. In HyFleet, the passive system was developed in collaboration with HyCentA and uses a two-step needle ejector, which EKPO says reduces mechanical complexity.
What are the HyFleet fuel cell system specifications?
The HyFleet fuel cell system built around the EKPO NM12 fuel cell stack delivers 90 kW, achieves an efficiency of up to 60% and responds rapidly to changes in load. It has cold-start and freeze-start capability at temperatures as low as −20 °C. The side-by-side vehicle combines a range of up to 400 km with a refuelling time of approximately five minutes.
What power range do EKPO fuel cell stacks cover?
EKPO says its modular fuel cell stack platforms range from 16 kW to more than 400 kW for mobile and stationary applications, and it also develops customised stack solutions for specific system architectures. The company additionally develops and manufactures metal bipolar plates for PEM electrolysers.
Further Reading
- EKPO Unveils Its Most Powerful Fuel Cell Stack Module
- EKPO Launches New NM20 Fuel Cell Stack For Series Production
- EKPO NM20 Fuel Cell Stack Enters Testing In 40-Tonne Truck
- Symbio Unveils 3rd Gen Fuel Cell Stack Technology
For more fuel cell news, click here.
