Weichai Power, a leading Chinese powertrain manufacturer based in Weifang, Shandong province, recently announced that it would cooperate with FISCHER Spindle Group, a company based in Switzerland.

[Photo/dzrb.dzng.com]

According to the cooperation agreement, Weichai Power will invest in the company's fuel cell compressor business and the two sides will open a joint venture in China in an effort to cultivate the world's leading manufacturer of fuel cell compressors.

According to Weichai Power, through this strategic cooperation, the company will further extend its fuel cell industrial chain and improve the core competitiveness of its fuel cell powertrain system.

Weichai Power has already invested in Ballard Power and Ceres Power, becoming the largest shareholder in both, which are global leaders in PEMFC and SOFC solutions, respectively.

Fuel cell compressors are known as the "lungs" of fuel cell systems, as they directly impact the performance of the system and are among the most expensive core components, presenting an obstacle to the development of hydrogen fuel cell power systems in China, said industry insiders.

"With a history of nearly 100 years, FISCHER's fuel cell compressors are widely recognized for their high quality and excellent performance," said Tan Xuguang, chairman and CEO of Weichai Power.

Tan said that cooperation between the two parties will bring their strengths into full play and provide important technical support for the future development of China's hydrogen fuel cell power systems.

"Fuel cells will play an important role in global efforts toward zero-emission transportation and energy generation," said Tobias Moser, co-owner and CEO of FISCHER.

"Weichai Power, a leader in the commercial vehicle industry, and FISCHER, a leader in fuel cell compressor technology, will play to our respective advantages and continue to expand cooperation to become the world's leading manufacturer of fuel cell compressors."