Featured Articles
2025-12-31
The Efficiency of Hydrogen Energy in Automated Guided Vehicles can be Improved by at Least 20%
The Efficiency of Hydrogen Energy in Automated Guided Vehicles can be Improved by at Least 20%
Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), widely used in warehouses, manufacturing plants, and other facilities, are driverless, computer-controlled vehicles designed to perform repetitive tasks such as moving goods, replenishing inventory, and transporting parts to assembly lines without human intervention. Typically powered by lithium batteries, AGVs have an average operating time of approximately eight hours, followed by a charging period of about 1.5 hours. Consequently, they remain idle for roughly 19% of the time, necessitating an additional 10–20% more units to maintain continuous 24-hour operation. However, the Swedish startup myFC has integrated proprietary thin modular fuel cells into warehouse robots, enabling rapid hydrogen refueling that increases operating time to 99.5%. This advancement not only extends battery life and reduces the number of robots required but also allows deployment in confined spaces where bulky lithium battery packs were previously impractical, thereby significantly lowering costs. Other major companies have since validated this finding and are currently being commercialized.After three years of trials, BMW fully recognized the advantages of hydrogen-powered AGVs. At its Leipzig plant, a testbed for new manufacturing automation technologies, BMW began deploying 130 hydrogen fuel cell AGVs in 2025 to support the transport of materials and components within the factory. This deployment is not only inspiring and indicative for the entire BMW Group and its global automakers but also for the broader AGV industry. These AGVs were developed in collaboration with the Austrian autonomous vehicle developer DS Automotion and incorporate a proprietary fuel cell system from the UK-based company Intelligent Energy. Compared to lithium-ion batteries, these AGVs offer longer operating times, eliminating charging downtime, reducing the total fleet size by 20%, maintaining zero-emission operation, and enhancing flexibility—thereby optimizing logistics efficiency.
South Korea first demonstrated the use of hydrogen fuel cells in indoor logistics transport vehicles, such as forklifts and unmanned transport vehicles, in Ulsan in 2019. At that time, it was anticipated that forklift charging time would be significantly reduced from eight hours to five minutes, and AGV operating time would increase from two hours to six hours. Automakers expect that the advantages of using hydrogen energy in AGVs will extend beyond BMW. At the World Hydrogen Expo in December 2025, Hyundai Group showcased hydrogen energy technologies across various value chains, including a brand-new AGV powered by hydrogen energy for port logistics, enhancing operational efficiency through an advanced hydrogen fuel cell system.
Reference
1. Oxygen Service Company, How Hydrogen Gas-Powered Robotics Can Transform Your Warehouse Operations
2. FleetNews, 2025-12-04, Tom Seymour, BMW deploys 130-strong fleet of hydrogen automated guided vehicles
3. 日経クロステック, 2025-12-08, 内田 泰, 搭乗型4脚ロボ、川崎重工が事業化へ 40年に3000億円規模目指す
4. AZOcleantech, 2025-05-22, Samudrapom Dam, Hydrogen Horses: Is this the Future of Clean Mobility?
