Linde : 18.10.2017 / Trade News / Allguth and Linde open hydrogen filling station in Munich

• Eco-friendly CleverShuttle ride-sharing service launches in Munich with 15 Toyota Mirai
  
• Emissions-free car-sharing vehicles by BeeZero are biggest users by number
  
• World premiere of next-generation H fuelling technology developed by Linde
  
• MVI supports H station with EUR 400,000 via its National Innovation Programme for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP)
  
• H Mobility to operate the facility
  

Munich, 18 October 2017 - The Allguth service station in Munich's Trudering district has sounded the all-clear for hydrogen mobility. Allguth, a medium-size oil company, has teamed up with the technology company The Linde Group, and now offers hydrogen (H) as a fuel for zero-emissions fuel-cell vehicles. The Federal Ministry for Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) supported the construction of the hydrogen facility with EUR 400,000 from its National Innovation Programme for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP). The facility will be operated by the infrastructure partner H Mobility.

The hydrogen pump at the modern Allguth service station at Kreillerstrasse 220, which was newly built in 2016, is available to customers between 6 am and 10 pm from Monday to Sunday. It takes about four minutes to refuel a fuel-cell vehicle with the gaseous fuel, compressed to 700 bar. The new station in Munich is one of the first 50 hydrogen filling stations that are being built as part of the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) with the support of the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure via the NIP. The expansion of the nationwide H network is progressing well, with several sites celebrating their official openings in October: Bad Rappenau, Bremen, Cologne/Bonn, and Munich. This brings the number of public hydrogen filling stations in the Germany-wide network to 41.

At the opening, Toyota will hand over 15 Mirai fuel-cell cars to CleverShuttle, an innovative ride- sharing service. CleverShuttle's fuel-cell vehicles will mainly fill up at Kreillerstrasse. Another major user of the station will be the Linde subsidiary BeeZero, the world's first car-sharing service to use a fleet comprised exclusively of hydrogen-powered fuel-cell cars.

The new facility has a 400kg storage tank for liquefied hydrogen and a next-generation H compressor (cryogenic pump) developed by Linde. Allguth CEO Christian Amberger is pleased that his company is a pioneer in offering this leading-edge fuel, and succinctly sums up its advantages: 'Unlike battery-powered vehicles, hydrogen vehicles have a long range and can be refuelled quickly. And renewable hydrogen fuel causes zero emissions!' Markus Bachmeier, Head of Hydrogen Solutions at Linde, says: 'Today you are witnessing the premiere of the world's most compact and energy-efficient hydrogen filling station in this performance class. Together with our customers and partners, we have further evolved our cryopump technology specifically for use in inner-city locations, significantly reducing both the space requirements and the energy consumption.'

The foundations for establishing a network of hydrogen filling stations in Germany were jointly laid by the public and private sector as part of the CEP. H Mobility, which is lead-managing the construction of a nationwide hydrogen infrastructure, will handle the operation of the facility. 'If you want a mobility shift, you have to start thinking more in terms of clean-mobility services as well,' says Nikolas Iwan, Managing Director of H Mobility. 'I'm delighted to have two mobility service providers using the hydrogen station in Kreillerstrasse. With BeeZero, registered users can drive hydrogen cars themselves, while CleverShuttle lets you call a chauffeur.'

About The Linde Group

In the 2016 financial year, The Linde Group generated revenue of EUR 16.948 bn, making it one of the leading gases and engineering companies in the world, with approximately 60,000 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards long-term profitable growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business, with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. The company is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.

About NOW

NOW GmbH (National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology) was founded in 2008 by the German government, represented by the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI). It coordinates two federal funding programmes - the National Innovation Programme for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP), and the BMVI's Electromobility Model Regions. Both programmes serve to prepare the market for making mobility and energy supply efficient and low-emissions in future. NOW also supports the BMVI in implementing the electromobility infrastructure programme and in advancing the mobility and fuel strategy.

About Allguth

Allguth GmbH was founded in 1958 and operates some 35 modern service companies in Munich and a surrounding 100-kilometre radius. Its facilities feature filling stations, car washes, drinks cash-and-carry stores, shops, and café bars. The family-owned business's growth policy is never purely about quantitative targets, but always considers qualitative aspects as well. The decision to offer/sell the eco-friendly energy carrier hydrogen as a fuel is one example for this.

About CleverShuttle

CleverShuttle was founded in 2014 and launched its ride-sharing service at the beginning of 2016. It is the first German company to have obtained approval from the authorities for shared driving assignments. The service combines individual chauffeur service with a car-sharing principle and groups passengers with similar routes into a single vehicle. Its vehicle fleet consists of environmentally-friendly hydrogen and electric vehicles. The service can be booked using a smartphone app and is currently available in Berlin, Munich, Hamburg and Leipzig. As part of a B2B solution, CleverShuttle also offers an on-demand platform to supplement existing transport routes with ride-sharing.

About H Mobility

H Mobility Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG is responsible for the nationwide expansion of Germany's hydrogen infrastructure. The first 100 H service stations are all being built in metropolitan areas, and along trunk roads and motorways. Another 300 H filling stations are planned by 2023, depending on the market ramp-up of fuel-cell vehicles. The company's shareholders are Air Liquide, Daimler, Linde, OMV, Shell and TOTAL, with BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota and Volkswagen as associated partners. NOW GmbH (National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology) advises it in political matters.

About Toyota

Toyota was founded in 1936 and is one of the world's largest car manufacturers. As part of its ambitious environmental targets - the 'Environmental Challenge 2050' - extraordinary efforts are being made across the Group to make mobility sustainable. Climate protection and clean air require intelligent propulsion strategies. More than 11 million hybrid vehicles driven by satisfied customers have been providing proof of global acceptance for 20 years now. As part of a systematic evolution, the fuel cell was introduced in the Mirai saloon in 2014. Three years later, more than 5,000 such vehicles are already on the road worldwide. Thus Toyota proves that it is only a matter of time before the age of fossil fuels is superseded by a hydrogen-based era. As a main sponsor of the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo, Toyota will do its part to ensure the games are CO- free.