Johannes Pell

Pell is currently a system simulation engineer for commercial vehicles in the commercial vehicle powertrain systems department at AVL List in Steyr, Austria. Before this, he undertook technical internships in different industries (BMW Steyr, Austria ECS Steyr, Austria Engel Dietach, Austria) and worked as a supervisor for three years at the Institute for Strength of Materials at the University of Technology, Graz, Austria. He has a BSc in mechanical engineering and business economics, and a diploma in mechanical engineering, both from the University of Technology, Graz, Austria.

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Presentation

Electrifying excavators: conversion challenges of fuel-cell-electric powertrains

In response to the demand for carbon-neutral powertrain solutions in construction machinery, AVL conducted a case study on adapting battery-electric and fuel-cell-electric systems for excavators. The study focused on use profiles of existing machines, drivetrain simulations and optimizing operational strategies without compromising performance. Balancing fuel cell and battery performance, considering component aging and identifying off-the-shelf components were crucial steps. Integration of the components into the target vehicle involved configuring the high-voltage onboard network and designing the thermal system. This initiative addresses emission-reduction requirements even though specific legal regulations for the construction machinery sector are yet to be implemented.