The Project

H2ROAM (Hydrogen for Robust Off-road Application Modules) aims to develop and demonstrate adaptable hydrogen-powered powertrain systems at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6, capable of meeting the demanding requirements of Non Road Mobile Machinery.

MISSION AND AMBITION

The project’s core objective is to deliver flexible and modular fuel cell (FC) hybrid powertrains tailored to diverse NRMM applications. Two main configurations are being developed:

a baseline system (110 kW)
a high-power multi-configuration system (up to 220 kW) for dynamic and high-load operations

These systems integrate fuel cells with battery technologies to ensure optimal performance, efficiency, and reliability across different use cases.

WHY H2ROAM MATTERS

NRMM accounts for approximately 108 million tonnes of CO₂- equivalent emissions annually in the EU, around 3.1% of total emissions, equivalent to nearly 55 million passenger vehicles. Decarbonising this sector is therefore critical to achieving EU climate targets under initiatives such as the Fit for 55 and REPowerEU.

H2ROAM addresses both technical challenges and market barriers by targeting Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) parity with conventional diesel systems, a key step towards large-scale adoption.

CORE DRIVERS

The project is built around four key drivers:

Environmental Sustainability: reducing greenhouse gas emissions through clean, high-efficiency hydrogen fuel cell systems.

Operational Flexibility and Efficiency: developing adaptable powertrains that can operate across diverse sectors and conditions.

Technological Innovation and Integration: advancing fuel cell-battery hybrid systems to optimise performance, improve reliability and ensure safety.

Economic Viability and Scalability: ensuring cost-effectiveness and enabling future large-scale deployment through modular design and optimised system architecture.

METHODOLOGY

H2ROAM follows a structured approach based on four interconnected pillars:

Operational Requirements & Simulation: defining operational requirements for the analysed use cases and optimising system configurations (such as powertrain sizing and energy management strategies) through advanced modelling.
Modular Building Blocks Development: to ensure a modular and scalable architecture, the powertrain components are grouped into three building blocks:
1. Building Block A: FC module & power electronics development;
2. Building Block B: Air & fuel management, cooling system, storage and refuelling development
3. Building block C: Energy Management System & Battery System development
System Validation & Real-World Testing: after integrating the three building blocks into the full powertrain system, performance will be demonstrated in agricultural and port applications under demanding conditions. Testing will include up to 1,000 operational hours for smaller systems to confirm durability and reliability and 2,000 operational hours for the large double-module powertrain configuration.
Sustainability, Economic Assessment & Dissemination: conducting a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate environmental impact, along with techno-economic analyses to demonstrate reductions in capital and operational expenditures, while promoting project results across Europe.

The project applies a Model-Based Design (MBD) approach combined with the V-methodology, ensuring efficient development, testing, and validation of innovative powertrain systems.

REAL-WORLD VALIDATION

H2ROAM systems will be tested under extreme and representative operating conditions, including:

extreme temperatures and high humidity
corrosive and dusty environments

heavy vibration and mechanical stress

water and debris exposure

continuous high-demand operations

These demonstrations will validate the reliability, durability and adaptability of hydrogen-powered NRMM.

IMPACT

By integrating hydrogen technologies into industrial ecosystems, H2ROAM will:

accelerate the transition to zero-emission machinery

support the development of a European hydrogen value chain

strengthen industrial competitiveness

enable future market opportunities for clean technologies

WORK PACKAGES

The H2ROAM project is structured into 14 Work Packages (WPs), organised according to the scheme shown below. The WPs cover all project activities and are closely interconnected to ensure the successful implementation of the project objectives.

THE PROJECT