The e-bike presented by Linde - based on the frame of the Contro-E bicycle from Cannondale - still looks very much like a prototype, but it demonstrates new approaches to electromobility. A fuel cell replaces the usual battery and generates the electricity required to support the rider from hydrogen and oxygen from the ambient air. The highly efficient and emission-free drive system, which is unique in this form, should enable a range of over 100 kilometers. A maximum of 34 grams of hydrogen gas is sufficient for this. According to Linde, it takes a maximum of six minutes to fill the tank using a specially developed filling system.

Using automotive technology for bicycles too
"Linde is sometimes breaking new and unusual ground to help environmentally friendly hydrogen technology achieve a breakthrough," said Dr. Wolfgang Büchele, CEO of Linde AG. With the "H2-Bike", Büchele wants to prove that the advantages of hydrogen propulsion can be applied not only to cars but also to bicycles.

Getting up and running in three months
Linde engineers developed the project in around three months from the initial idea to the ready-to-ride prototype and then on to the pilot series. One of the aims was to show that there is no alternative to the conventional battery drive, even for electric bicycles, which are already environmentally friendly per se. According to Linde, just like hydrogen-powered cars, fuel cell bicycles combine a long range with a short refueling time of just a few minutes. In addition, drive batteries with their limited service life and costly disposal can be dispensed with.

Greener than electricity?
The hydrogen bicycle, of which Linde will produce a limited prototype series, rides on sustainably produced green hydrogen. This can be produced by electrolysis using wind energy or from the reforming of biogas. The carbon footprint of the Linde H2 bike is therefore usually much better than the energy mix of grid electricity used to charge a battery-powered e-bike.

100 filling stations in 15 countries
As good as the fuel cell's balance sheet sounds, one shortcoming compared to the battery is clear to see: there are countless power sockets, but hydrogen filling stations are a rarity. According to Linde, the company has installed around 100 hydrogen filling stations in 15 countries and has gained experience from more than one million refueling operations. Among other things, the company is a partner in the newly founded joint venture H2 Mobility Deutschland GmbH & Co KG. Linde wants to make a significant contribution to creating the conditions for the market success of fuel cell vehicles, the series production of which is currently being launched by several car manufacturers.

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