For a long time it was very quiet around the H₂ combustion engine. Only Keyou GmbH from Munich adhered to this technology. Now the team of former BMW employee and current Keyou managing director Thomas Korn is receiving support from a prominent source: Deutz AG signed a cooperation agreement with Keyou at the end of March 2019. In addition, the Cologne-based company announced that a first prototype using hydrogen as a fuel had already been developed.

A six-cylinder diesel engine (7.8 l displacement) was used, which was presented for the first time in 2018 at bauma China and in April 2019 at bauma in Munich.

Deutz and Keyou are thus expanding their existing development partnership in order to jointly advance the industrialization and commercialization of CO₂ free hydrogen engines for off-road and on-road applications as well as power generation. Together they want to establish an alternative to fuel cell technology.

Dr. Frank Hiller, chairman of the Deutz board, explained: “The use of alternative fuels such as hydrogen is becoming increasingly important. We see this drive solution as a valuable addition to our electrification strategy and an important pillar for emission-free mobility in the future.” Production readiness is planned for 2021/22.