HyMC Project - Advanced Energy for Electric and Hydrogen Vehicles

The HyMC project has been carried out within the CNMS Programme (CN00000023), funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU through the PNRR MUR funds – M4C2, Investment 1.4: “Strengthening research infrastructures and creating national champions of R&D on selected Key Enabling Technologies”.
Thanks to this programme, Alma Automotive is applying its expertise in the design of DC-DC converters for motorsport to develop a new generation of high-efficiency DC-DC converters for hydrogen- and battery-powered vehicles.

Project objectives

The main goal of HyMC is the development of a modular DC-DC converter prototype for electric vehicles with hydrogen fuel cells.

Hydrogen represents a promising alternative to technologies based solely on batteries. In this context, the DC-DC converter is a key component: it enables the connection between the fuel cell output and the high-voltage bus of the powertrain, optimizing the vehicle’s energy flows.

Technical features

• The base unit of HyMC is a 15 kW DC-DC converter, designed to be paralleled.
• Its modular architecture allows the device to be adapted to different sizes of propulsion systems, up to 90 kW.
• The proposed device integrates innovative techniques to maximize efficiency and minimize size, including:
  • Partial Power Conversion
  • Resonant LLC conversion topology
  • Wide Bandgap semiconductors
• The design requirements will be defined in close collaboration with the proposing body, ensuring compliance with automotive application needs.
• The design will aim at optimizing efficiency while keeping the system compact, lightweight, and easily integrable into vehicles.

HyMC project results

Alma Automotive successfully developed a working prototype of a modular 15 kW automotive DC-DC converter, based on the Partial Power Conversion topology.
The system is designed to interface with fuel cells operating from 150V to 250V and to supply battery powertrains up to 800V.

Thanks to the selected topology and the use of innovative components, an average efficiency higher than 96% was achieved.
The converter control system, fully developed in-house for this application, allows complete monitoring of all operating parameters, ensuring stable output in current, voltage, and power. This enables optimized energy management aimed at preserving the state of health of fuel cells and batteries, while reducing current transients and inefficient operating zones.

The prototype was designed to be scalable and adaptable to different operating configurations, in terms of power, input voltage, and output current.

Funding

The project involved a total investment of €215,541.00, supported by public funding of €133,265.00.