Germany Automotive Fuel Cell Market Overview 2027

Germany is a western European country with a population of 83.15 million. Germany is also a leading producer of automobiles. A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell that converts the chemical energy of a fuel and an oxidising agent into electricity through a pair of redox reactions. Fuel cells are different from most batteries in requiring a continuous source of fuel and oxygen (usually from air) to sustain the chemical reaction, whereas in a battery the chemical energy usually comes from metals and their ions or oxides that are commonly already present in the battery, except in flow batteries. Fuel cells can produce electricity continuously for as long as fuel and oxygen are supplied. Germany is also set to enhance the fuel cell fabrication capability of the country by establishing new manufacturing facilities in the country. In April 2021, Cummins Inc. broke ground for a fuel cell system manufacturing facility in Herten. In the number of FCEVs registered in the year, Germany held the highest share.

According to the report titled Germany Automotive Fuel Cell Market Overview, 2027 the automotive fuel cell market in the country of Germany is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 51% in value by the end of the forecast period. The Methanol fuel cell provides high power density, and it is operated at low temperature and pressure. Phosphoric acid is a unique inorganic acid electrolyte, which is generally used in fuel cell applications at around 200 °C in order to obtain higher system efficiency. On the basis of power output type, below 100 KW, 100 KW to 200 KW, and above 200 KW power fuel cells are available in Germany. Fuel cells with less than 100 KW of power are more popular among Germans and are better suited to light-weight vehicles.

The CAGR of methanol fuel cells in the past year was low, and it is expected that CAGR will increase gradually in the forecasted period. Under 100 KW power, fuel cells are used for providing limited power to cars and vans during running conditions. 100 KW to 200 KW are suitable for vehicles which require a medium range of power and provide efficient power at low speed. Above 200 KW power fuel cells are suitable for heavy trucks and mining vehicles, providing effective power in a variety of conditions. Share of the 100 KW power fuel cell is higher than the other two, and it is expected that by 2027 it will increase vigorously.

In PEMFCs, the hydrogen is converted into proton ions on the catalyst surface and releases electrons in the anode chamber. The proton ion flows by the conductive electrolyte membrane; whereas an electron is driven through the external circuit to produce electricity, then it enters on the other side. The direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) enables the direct conversion of the chemical energy stored in liquid methanol fuel to electrical energy, with water and carbon dioxide as by-products. Alkaline fuel cells consume hydrogen and pure oxygen to produce potable water, heat, and electricity. They are among the most efficient fuel cells, having the potential to reach 70%. The market attractiveness of DMFC is low as compared to PEMFC because PEMFC provides fast start-up, it is compact in design, and it provides flexibility in input fuels, etc., so it attracts more customers. It is expected that the market attractiveness of PEMFC will be at its maximum by 2027.

Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH has been developing its own hydrogen fuel cells for a quarter of a century and combines them with selected components tailored to the customer’s area of application to form fuel cell systems and hybrid solutions ready for integration. Cummins offers the most advanced hydrogen fuel cell technology, powering everything from mobility applications to backup generators. Cummins is continuously assisting fuel cell programmes around the world with equipment, testing and implementation, and systems integration.

In Germany, the spread of the COVID-19 virus has significantly impacted the hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle market. The lockdowns initiated by governments in most of the region have resulted in the countries' economic crisis, which has pushed the automotive industry to a near-collapse condition, shutting down factories and emptying showrooms.

Considered in this report

• Geography: Germany
• Base year: 2021
• Estimated year: 2022
• Forecast year: 2027

Aspects covered in this report

• Germany Automotive Fuel Cell market and its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Five force models
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

Fuel cell by Electrolyte type

• Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC)
• Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC)
• Others (Alkaline fuel cell and Phosphoric acid fuel cell)

Fuel cell by Fuel type

• Hydrogen fuel
• Methanol fuel

Fuel cell by Power output

• Below 100 KW
• 100 to 200 KW
• Above 200 KW

The approach of the report:

This report consists of a combined approach of primary as well as secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and listing out the companies that are present in the market. The secondary research consists of third-party sources such as press releases, annual report of companies, analysing the government generated reports and databases. After gathering the data from secondary sources primary research was conducted by making telephonic interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducted trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this we have started doing primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting consumers in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us we have started verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience

This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to electric vehicle charging station industry, government bodies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.