The KION Group is expanding its hydrogen propulsion range, revealing plans to develop and produce its own fuel cell systems for its industrial trucks. 

The company will invest more than EUR11 million (USD12 million) in fuel cell technology, with plans to launch its own 24 V fuel cell system for warehouse equipment to the market in spring 2023. 

Completion of the fuel cell portfolio is expected to follow in the coming years. 

“As of today, the KION Group will be the only manufacturer of forklifts and warehouse equipment in the European market to produce its own fuel cells, something that truly sets us apart,” says Rob Smith, CEO of the KION Group. “There is huge demand from our customers and we hope that this technology will allow us to meet ever-increasing calls for intralogistics to become more resource-conscious and sustainable, while at the same time also meet demands for rapid refuelling.”

The group plans to supply the first forklifts with its own fuel cell systems this year.

Alongside the development and production of fuel cell systems, the group is also installing its own hydrogen production at its Aschaffenburg site. 

Construction work for a state-funded hydrogen filling station is nearly finished. After construction work on the hydrogen infrastructure is completed, 21 hybrid fuel cell systems will be put into operation and will replace the majority of the forklifts with combustion engines that are currently in operation at the site.