HÖRMANN Vehicle Engineering GmbH has launched the HyWheelTank project to develop a wheel-integrated hydrogen storage system for heavy construction machinery. The project will investigate ring-shaped CFRP pressure vessels positioned within the wheel or rim structure of a wheel loader, using previously unused installation space without significantly increasing the machine's external dimensions.
The concept addresses a key challenge for hydrogen-powered construction equipment: achieving sufficient onboard storage while maintaining long operating periods. Because gaseous hydrogen has a lower volumetric energy density than diesel, conventional high-pressure storage systems require substantial space. Integrating the tanks into the wheel structure could increase available storage volume while preserving space elsewhere in the machine.
The project will focus on the integration and testing of CFRP ring pressure vessels under real operating conditions. HÖRMANN and its partners will incorporate the hydrogen storage concept into a 24-tonne wheel loader and evaluate its impact on traction, rolling resistance, vibration, and driving comfort. Simulation-based parameter studies will also assess whether the concept can be transferred to other classes of mobile machinery.
The 27-month project runs from July 2026 to October 2028 and is led by HÖRMANN Vehicle Engineering. Lightweight Structures Engineering (LSE), FAE Elektrotechnik, and TU Dresden's Chair of Construction Machinery are participating, with Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen involved as an associated partner. The project is supported through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Saxon Development Bank under the EFRE/JTF technology funding program.
The development builds on HÖRMANN's earlier RAHD research, which investigated hydrogen storage concepts at the test-bench level. HyWheelTank now takes the technology toward a real demonstrator vehicle, marking a step toward practical application of composite pressure vessels in hydrogen-powered heavy machinery.
Source: HÖRMANN Vehicle Engineering | LinkedIn
