Award for Hydrogen and Battery Research at Nuremberg Tech : Date:
The Campus Future Driveline, where the Nuremberg Institute of Technology (Ohm University) brings together its research expertise in the fields of hydrogen and batteries, has been named “University Gem of the Month” for November 2025 by the Stifterverband. In 2025, the Stifterverband honoured projects with the “University Gem of the Month” award that combine research and innovation, with the aim of raising their visibility beyond the region and inspiring other universities.
At the Future Driveline Campus, companies and universities are working together to shape the mobility of the future. It is an initiative of Ohm University, the FAU (Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg), and commercial vehicle manufacturer MAN Truck & Bus (MAN) / TRATON R&D Deutschland GmbH. Located directly on the MAN factory grounds in Nuremberg, this joint lab offers state-of-the-art technology for researching battery systems and fuel cells.
Researchers and students work alongside MAN developers. Together, they are researching new drive technologies for future generations of electric trucks. The opportunity to work on industrial facilities equipped with the latest technology also opens up new opportunities for teaching. Initial results – publications, theses, and follow-up projects – show that the collaboration is working and is indeed driving innovation.
Hydrogen fuel cells combined with electric motors offer an alternative powertrain for heavy-duty vehicles. Like battery-electric powertrains, they produce no local pollutant or greenhouse gas emissions, yet they offer a longer range and shorter refueling times. However, to achieve commercial success, fuel cells must become less expensive, more efficient, and, above all, more durable.
As part of the SMART-H2 project (project ref. no. 13FH549KX0), funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space, MAN and Ohm University are working to overcome these challenges. Another project on fuel cell aging, DuraFuelCell, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), started in 2024 and also utilizes the infrastructure of the Future Driveline Campus. Professors from seven faculties at Ohm University are investigating hydrogen fuel cell technologies in stationary applications as well as in heavy-duty commercial vehicle applications through an interdisciplinary and collaborative research approach. Joint research is also being conducted on campus in the area of batteries: For example, in the Battery Next Generation (BNG) project, funded by the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development, and Energy, a wireless battery management system (wBMS) is being tested, and simulation and validation methods are being developed to accelerate the determination of performance parameters for individual cells and cell assemblies in battery systems for heavy-duty commercial vehicles.
“The Campus Future Driveline is an outstanding example of active collaboration between academia and industry,” said the Stifterverband jury in explaining its decision to award the initiative the “University Gem of the Month” for November. “With this joint lab located directly on the MAN factory grounds, a unique innovation space has been created where students, researchers, and industry experts collaborate successfully on the drive technologies of the future. Thanks to efficient research, the results are immediately put into practice.”
Text source: Nuremberg Institute of Technology (Nuremberg Tech)