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.

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.
Is it a barrier?
No
Assessment Severity
0
Assessment
Hydrogen vehicles are/will be treated as other vehicles, so there is no barrier.

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 - Maintenance needs and service requirements for hydrogen (fuel cell) vehicles are similar to those of conventional vehicles. Manufacturers are designing these vehicles and publishing guides with maintenance and safety in mind. For the inspection, there is no clear procedure yet, since in general the first inspection is only needed after 4 years and the oldest hydrogen vehicles in Belgium are not yet 4 years old. For the 5 buses driving in Antwerp, an inspection procedure has been developed and approved by the federal government administration (see (b)). For CNG cars, the gas tank has to be inspected by an accredited installer or certification body every four years; for H2 cars a similar rule will be defined (a first draft of a procedure for cars is being discussed).
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. For the inspection of the 5 buses driving in Antwerp, an inspection procedure has been developed and approved by the federal government administration: The inspection of the specific hydrogen related components of the bus e.g. the tank, has to be done by an accredited certification body.
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
c - see a
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?
d - see a
Question 2 Which are the responsible authorities/independent bodies to carry out technical inspections? a - cars (incl. taxis)
a - Accredited technical inspection centres do the general inspection; specific hydrogen components have to be checked by an accredited installer or certification body; that certificate has to be submitted to the technical inspection
Question 2 Which are the responsible authorities/independent bodies to carry out technical inspections? b - buses
b - Accredited technical inspection centres do the general inspection; specific hydrogen components have to be checked by an accredited installer or certification body; that certificate has to be submitted to the technical inspection
Question 2 Which are the responsible authorities/independent bodies to carry out technical inspections? c - trolleybuses
c - Accredited technical inspection centres do the general inspection; specific hydrogen components have to be checked by an accredited installer or certification body; that certificate has to be submitted to the technical inspection
Question 2 Which are the responsible authorities/independent bodies to carry out technical inspections? d - trucks
d - Accredited technical inspection centres do the general inspection; specific hydrogen components have to be checked by an accredited installer or certification body; that certificate has to be submitted to the technical inspection
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 – There is no framework for hydrogen cars yet.; For the inspection of CNG cars, the employees who are to deal with gas systems must be trained and certified to work with gas system installations. It is expected that a similar procedure will be worked out for H2. ii. – For the 5 Van Hool buses in Antwerp, the inspection procedure lists a number of specific conditions and measures, e.g. the prescription that certain actions have to be done in open air and at a certain distance of the inspection hall. b) legislative / certification i. cars (incl. taxis) ii. buses iii. trolleybuses iv. trucks – No legislation for hydrogen cars yet; procedure for inspection is being made.( An approved procedure for buses exists, made for the 5 Van Hool buses but can easily be transferred to new buses)
Describe the comparable technology and its relevance with regard to hydrogen
BEV

National legislation:

  • The Belgian Highway Code
    In Annex 15 of this document the required inspection points are listed in general; no specific hydrogen (or even CNG) points are mentioned.

EU Legislation: