EKPO to develop and supply bipolar plates for a major European OEM

A major European vehicle manufacturer has placed an order with EKPO for the development and supply of bipolar plate prototypes.

EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH (EKPO) has received an order from one of the leading European carmakers covering the development of a new bipolar plate.

Under the terms of the contract, EKPO develops prototypes and supplies them to the vehicle manufacturer for planned use in a fuel cell vehicle. Taking pole position in a competitive field, EKPO had been awarded the contract to acknowledge the high power density and compact design delivered by its market-leading bipolar plates.

Another key factor in securing the development contract was the long-standing collaboration between the two companies. EKPO can build on a proven track record of developing and researching fuel cell technology that spans more than 20 years, benefiting from the market-leading metal forming competence of its parent company ElringKlinger. Operations surrounding developing and producing prototypes to be supplied to the major OEM are based locally in Germany.

PEMFC metal bipolar plates offer tangible advantages in costs and – a vital aspect for mobile applications – power density and the cold-start capability of fuel cells. Using high-precision, progressive die suited to volume production, EKPO manufactures bipolar plates in a fully automated, interlinked manufacturing process.

Julien Etienne, Chief Commercial Officer at EKPO, said, “Combining high performance and compact design, our product portfolio is a truly compelling proposition.”