INSPIRE is a three-year programme supported by a grant of €7.0 million from the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU). The aimis to validate the next generation of automotive fuel cell stack technology and accelerate the commercialisation of high performance, zero emission, fuel cell electric vehicles.

As a major global supplier of platinum-based catalyst layers, catalysed membranes and fully-integrated MEAs, Johnson Matthey will work in close collaboration with its industrial and academic partners to bring forward materials and components already showing considerable promise in current FCH JU projects. SGL Carbon GmbH will work on the carbon fibre gas diffusion layer part of the MEA, and DANA Holding Corp. will be developing an optimised design of metallic bipolar plate that delivers the hydrogen and air to the MEA and transmits the electricity generated to power the vehicle. BMW Group will set out the requirements for the stack and assemble the MEAs and bipolar plates into new stack designs aimed at achieving the cost, durability and volumetric power density targets required for mass market exploitation.

Bart Biebuyck, Executive Director of the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking stated: “Projects like INSPIRE are essential to put European car OEMs in the starting blocks for the deployment of the next generation of fuel cell vehicles”.