Service and maintenance
This LAP deals with:
• The differences in the roadworthiness inspection, service and maintenance (process and requirements) for hydrogen vehicles compared to conventional vehicles,
• The responsible authorities/independent bodies to carry out technical inspections,
• The requirements to operate a testing centre/service and maintenance company for hydrogen vehicles.
• The differences in the roadworthiness inspection, service and maintenance (process and requirements) for hydrogen vehicles compared to conventional vehicles,
• The responsible authorities/independent bodies to carry out technical inspections,
• The requirements to operate a testing centre/service and maintenance company for hydrogen vehicles.
Glossary:
A motor vehicle service is a series of maintenance procedures carried out at a set time interval or after the vehicle has travelled a certain distance. The service intervals are specified by the vehicle manufacturer in a service schedule and some modern cars display the due date for the next service electronically on the instrument panel. Technical inspection (roadworthiness test) means an inspection designed to ensure that a vehicle is safe to be used on public roads and that it complies with required and mandatory safety and environmental characteristics.
Pan-European Assessment:
The hydrogen powered vehicles as the conventional vehicles are subject to periodic roadworthiness tests. Roadworthiness testing is a part of a wider regime ensuring that vehicles are kept in a safe and environmentally acceptable condition during their use. This regime should provide for periodic roadworthiness tests of vehicles and technical roadside inspection of commercial vehicles as well as a vehicle registration procedure allowing for the suspension of a vehicle’s authorisation to be used in road traffic where the vehicle constitutes an immediate risk to road safety.
The specific service and maintenance requirements and procedures for hydrogen powered vehicles are defined in guidelines, published by the manufacturers. In addition, at national level are issued a limited number of instructions concerning this matter.
The maintenance know-how and expertise will be developed and deployed with the growing number of vehicles and therefore no serious hurdles for service, maintenance and inspections of hydrogen powered vehicles could be identified. However, the lack of clear rules for service and inspection at present is seen as an operational barrier and regulatory gap, which might result in damages to vehicles or work accidents due to the use of inappropriate techniques.
The development of unified rules and procedures for service and inspection of the specific components of hydrogen powered vehicles such as high pressure hydrogen storage, fuel cell stacks and high voltage components by FCEV, hydrogen gas leak detection system are fundamental for the safety performance of hydrogen powered vehicles and could help to achieve a large degree of harmonisation of practice. Skilled service and testing staff and appropriate equipped inspection and maintenance facilities could increase the safety at the workplace and avoid workers' exposure to higher risks.
The specific service and maintenance requirements and procedures for hydrogen powered vehicles are defined in guidelines, published by the manufacturers. In addition, at national level are issued a limited number of instructions concerning this matter.
The maintenance know-how and expertise will be developed and deployed with the growing number of vehicles and therefore no serious hurdles for service, maintenance and inspections of hydrogen powered vehicles could be identified. However, the lack of clear rules for service and inspection at present is seen as an operational barrier and regulatory gap, which might result in damages to vehicles or work accidents due to the use of inappropriate techniques.
The development of unified rules and procedures for service and inspection of the specific components of hydrogen powered vehicles such as high pressure hydrogen storage, fuel cell stacks and high voltage components by FCEV, hydrogen gas leak detection system are fundamental for the safety performance of hydrogen powered vehicles and could help to achieve a large degree of harmonisation of practice. Skilled service and testing staff and appropriate equipped inspection and maintenance facilities could increase the safety at the workplace and avoid workers' exposure to higher risks.
Is it a barrier?
No
Assessment Severity
0
Assessment
The existence of specific rules for the maintenance and road worthiness for H2 vehicles will give more security for the end–user, like it’s the case for ICE–vehicles. But the specificity of the H2 vehicles must be taken into account. All the technical aspects common with ICE vehicles, will be treated the way. The specific aspects related to H2 on–board (storage, distribution circuit…..) will have to treated specifically and in a homogeneous way for all vehicles (independently from the technical solutions developed by the car manufacturers). There is no real barrier for this topic, as we think that the maintenance service and expertise will be developped and deployed with the growing number of vehicles – the only point to adress is that the deployment of the maintenance services will have to be undertaken in advance of the deployment of the vehicles = there will be a need of calified labour for this work, probably through specific training programms sponsored by the car manufacturers.
Questions:
Question 1
Is there a difference in the service and maintenance inspection (process and requirement) for a hydrogen vehicle compared to a conventional vehicle?
a - cars (incl. taxis)
a - For the usual components and safety related equipment on–board the vehicle, the maintenance and inspection requirement will be the same. For the equipment related to electric systems, the fuel cell, the H2 tank and the on–board H2 piping there will be some specific requirements based on the recommended procedures from each car manufacturer
Some specific aspects can be:
– the regular control of the H2 tank (integrity control, regular approval test after a certain period – to be fixed by legislation);
– the control of the H2 piping;
Question 1
Is there a difference in the service and maintenance inspection (process and requirement) for a hydrogen vehicle compared to a conventional vehicle?
b - buses
b - Maintenance needs and service requirements for hydrogen (fuel cell) vehicles are similar to those of conventional vehicles. Manufacturers are designing these vehicles and publishing maintenance guides with specific safety reuirements and procedures for work with high pressure gases, high voltage electricity systems, precautory measures for eliminating or control the risks from explosive atmospheres in the workplace.
Question 1
Is there a difference in the service and maintenance inspection (process and requirement) for a hydrogen vehicle compared to a conventional vehicle?
c - trolleybuses
b - Maintenance needs and service requirements for hydrogen (fuel cell) vehicles are similar to those of conventional vehicles. Manufacturers are designing these vehicles and publishing maintenance guides with specific safety reuirements and procedures for work with high pressure gases, high voltage electricity systems, precautory measures for eliminating or control the risks from explosive atmospheres in the workplace.
Question 1
Is there a difference in the service and maintenance inspection (process and requirement) for a hydrogen vehicle compared to a conventional vehicle?
d - trucks
If yes, please specify, e.g. what are the specific maintenance needs and service requirements for hydrogen vehicles?
b - Maintenance needs and service requirements for hydrogen (fuel cell) vehicles are similar to those of conventional vehicles. Manufacturers are designing these vehicles and publishing maintenance guides with specific safety reuirements and procedures for work with high pressure gases, high voltage electricity systems, precautory measures for eliminating or control the risks from explosive atmospheres in the workplace.
Question 2
Which are the responsible authorities/independent bodies to carry out technical inspections?
a - cars (incl. taxis)
a - State authorised independent testing organisations or centers
Question 2
Which are the responsible authorities/independent bodies to carry out technical inspections?
b - buses
b - State authorised independent testing organisations or centers
Question 2
Which are the responsible authorities/independent bodies to carry out technical inspections?
c - trolleybuses
c - State authorised independent testing organisations or centers
Question 2
Which are the responsible authorities/independent bodies to carry out technical inspections?
d - trucks
d - State authorised independent testing organisations or centers
Question 3
Is there a framework and if yes, what are the requirements to operate a testing, inspection and certification (service and maintenance) company for hydrogen vehicles? Are they different from a conventional vehicle?
a) technical
i. cars (incl. taxis)
ii. buses
iii. trolleybuses
iv. trucks
b) legislative / certification
i. cars (incl. taxis)
ii. buses
iii. trolleybuses
iv. trucks
a) technical
i. cars (incl. taxis) ii. buses iii. trolleybuses iv. trucks – actually there is no specific framework – the test and inspection services are actually done by the car manufacturer themselves –they could give some recommendations for these requirements
Some possible requirements (t.b.c.) :
– having the approval for inspecting and working on high pressure H2;
– having test equipment’s for the control of H2 leakage;
– having the equipment, competence and training to work in explosive atmosphere;
– having the competence and training to work on high intensity electric equipments;
– to have the approval of the Transport Ministry.
For the fuel cell system itself the testing will probably be of the responsibility of the car manufacturer?
b) legislative / certification
i. cars (incl. taxis) ii. buses iii. trolleybuses iv. trucks – Having the approval of the Transport Ministry
Having the test equipment’s for the certification of the different components and equipment’s witch can be build in the vehicle.
Describe the comparable technology and its relevance with regard to hydrogen
Battery electric vehicles & NG or LPG vehicles
National legislation:
-
The article R 323–1 of the french national road regulation code, is fixing the rules for the regular technical control of the road vehicles.
The regulation is focusing on the safety issues for the maintenance sites for vehicles
EU Legislation:
-
Commission Regulation (EU) No 630/2012 of 12 July 2012 amending Regulation (EC) No 692/2008, as regards type–approval requirements for motor vehicles fuelled by hydrogen and mixtures of hydrogen and natural gas with respect to emissions, and the inclusion of specific information regarding vehicles fitted with an electric power train in the information document for the purpose of EC type–approval.
Regulation 692 / 2008 contains inter alia general requirements for type-approval and other provisions related to the application for EC type-approval of a vehicle with regard to emissions and access to vehicle repair and maintenance information
Regulation 630/2012 extends the scope of Regulation (EC) No 692/2008 to hydrogen fuel cell vehicle -
Commission Regulation (EC) No 692/2008 of 18 July 2008 implementing and amending Regulation (EC) No 715/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council on type–approval of motor vehicles with respect to emissions from light passenger and commercial vehicles (Euro 5 and Euro 6) and on access to vehicle repair and maintenance information.
Regulation 692 / 2008 contains inter alia general requirements for type-approval and other provisions related to the application for EC type-approval of a vehicle with regard to emissions and access to vehicle repair and maintenance information
Regulation 630/2012 extends the scope of Regulation (EC) No 692/2008 to hydrogen fuel cell vehicle -
Directive 2014/45/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 April 2014 on periodic roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers and repealing Directive 2009/40/EC Text with EEA relevance (with effect from 20 May 2018)
This Directive establishes minimum requirements for a regime of periodic roadworthiness tests of vehicles used on public roads. This applies to vehicles with a design speed exceeding 25 km/h of the following categories: M1, M2 and M3 (passenger motor vehicles, N1, N2 and N3 (motor vehicles for the carriage of goods, O3 and O4 (trailers over 3,5 tonnes) L (two or three wheels over 125cm3).