Service and maintenance

This LAP examines:
• The differences in the roadworthiness inspection, service and maintenance (process and requirements) for hydrogen L category 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;

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.

In general, the service and maintenance requirements and procedures for hydrogen vehicles are laid down in guidelines issued by the manufacturers.
The hydrogen vehicles as conventional vehicles with a design speed exceeding 25 km/h of categories M, N and O shall undergo periodic roadworthiness tests in order to ensure that vehicles on the road remain roadworthy and safe.

Currently, there are no legal requirements in place for roadworthiness testing of motorcycles, bikes and quadricycles at EU level.
From 1 January 2022, European Legislation (Directive 2014/45/EU) will require two-and three-wheel motorcycles, powered tricycles and heavy quadricycles, with an engine displacement of more than 125 cm3 to be roadworthiness tested. However, Member States may exclude these vehicles from testing if they have put in place alternative effective road safety measures, considering in particular road safety statistics of the last five years.
In a number of countries some types of the L category vehicles are included in the scope of periodic roadworthiness testing.

The service and technical inspections requirements and procedures do not present any important barriers for the market entry of hydrogen motorcycles and quadricycles. Nevertheless, the lack of specific regulations for maintenance, testing and technical control of hydrogen motorcycles and quadricycles may restrict their deployment and increase the maintenance costs. It may create an uncertainty for the users and negatively affect their choice to purchase hydrogen vehicles. The use of improper technics may cause vehicle damages or transport accidents.
Therefore, specific testing methods and requirements for the inspections areas, equipment and staff with focus on specific hydrogen components on board and related to the hydrogen L category vehicles safety on the road have to be developed.