The latest
events & activities

Bücker + Essing is an international specialist for engine reconditioning from Lingen (Ems) in Lower Saxony and a subsidiary of Elevion Group. The agreement initially covers the conversion of around 1,000 new diesel engines to hydrogen by the end of 2028 in order to further advance the market ramp-up for hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles and thus the decarbonization of road freight transport. The retrofitting of engines from existing vehicles is to take place in larger numbers from 2029.

Elevion Group as end-to-end solution provider expands it decarbonization services by hydrogen. This is an innovative approach for combustion engines as hydrogen fueled engines are not yet a market standard. KEYOU and Bücker + Essing are united by the joint conviction that the conversion of combustion engines will play a key role in the successful decarbonization of the commercial vehicle industry in the future. The two companies are already working together successfully on engine conversions for the KEYOU 18t pioneer fleet. The existing cooperation is now to be further expanded with the joint declaration of intent. Both sides agreed on concrete target figures, which are also reflected in the respective business plans of the two companies.

Hydrogen power meets engine expertise: working together for an emission-free future 

Bücker + Essing has many years of experience in converting combustion engines to gaseous fuels. The company already has the necessary capacities to be able to realize the quantities planned by KEYOU in the coming years. More than 1,000 new engines are to be converted to hydrogen operation at the site in Lingen by the end of 2028. The retrofitting of used vehicles is also planned from 2029. Together, the market ramp-up for commercial vehicles with hydrogen engines is to be further advanced.

"Decarbonizing the transport industry is a key lever for achieving a climate-neutral future. As a pioneer and innovator in the field of holistic decarbonization solutions, we are focusing specifically on renewable energies such as hydrogen. This project shows how technological innovation and strong partnerships can successfully shape the mobility transition," emphasizes Jaroslav Macek, CEO of Elevion Group.

"We are proud to support this innovation project with our many years of expertise in the conversion of diesel engines to gaseous fuels and thus make an important contribution to the decarbonization of heavy goods transport," says Ralf Wöllert, Managing Director at Bücker + Essing. "The cooperation with KEYOU is an important step for us to further expand our knowledge advantage in the field of hydrogen. We are convinced that hydrogen engines will play an important role in the technology mix of the future in the long term."

Up to 5,000 conversions per year - KEYOU and Bücker + Essing, as Elevion Group’s specialist for rebuilding of diesel to gas engines (including hydrogen), pursue ambitious goals

The aim of the intensified collaboration is to retrofit more than 1,000 new engines as part of the pre-series planned by KEYOU by the end of 2028. From 2029, the retrofit for used vehicles will then start in parallel with the new vehicle business.  In the future, it is planned to retrofit around 5,000 engines per year from 2029.

"We have long relied on the comprehensive expertise of Bücker + Essing, who have already been a reliable partner for the engine conversion of our pioneering vehicles," explains Markus Schneider, COO at KEYOU. "Furthermore, at Bücker + Essing we have found exactly the pioneering spirit and pragmatism that we need to go full throttle right from the start and with which we are convinced that we will also achieve our scaling targets in the subsequent ramp-up phase," Schneider continues.

“We are very pleased to be able to demonstrate our engine expertise once again in this project. By expanding our expertise in the field of hydrogen technology, we are future-proofing our company at the Lingen site,” emphasizes Wöllert. Bücker + Essing's customers also include service providers and operators of biogas plants and combined heat and power plants, as well as public transport, the navy and industrial companies.

Sustainable long-distance transport: sales launch of the KEYOU 40-tonne truck underway

The advantages of the hydrogen engine over other drive technologies are particularly evident on long journeys and therefore in the heavy-duty segment. The first Daimler Actros-based 40-tonne trucks with KEYOU-inside hydrogen engines are expected to roll off the production line as early as 2026. The model KEYOU is currently working on is based on a Daimler Actros with a 12.8-litre engine and will have an output of 346 kW. As with the 18-tonne truck, it will be fitted with 350-bar hydrogen tanks. The targeted tank volume is expected to enable a range of around 650 kilometres. The company announced the official sales launch at the end of November with a time-limited sales offer.

[Translate to English:] Vertreter von KEYOU sowie Bücker + Essing vor einem der ersten KEYOU 18 t H2-Pilot-Lkw (von links nach rechts: Christian Soethe (KEYOU), Stefan Kuhl, Ralf Wöllert, Jörg Jandel (alle Bücker + Essing)

[Translate to English:] Unterschrieben die Absichtserklärung für ihre Unternehmen: Markus Schneider, Co-Founder und einer der beiden Geschäftsführer von KEYOU (links) sowie Ralf Wöllert, Geschäftsführer von Bücker + Essing (rechts im Bild)