EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH

What EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH does

EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH is a German fuel cell stack manufacturer established in 2021 as a joint venture between ElringKlinger AG and OPmobility (formerly Plastic Omnium), with headquarters in Dettingen an der Erms, Baden-Württemberg. The company develops and produces PEMFC (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell) stack modules — marketed as the NM-series (NM20, NM12-twin, NM12-single, NM5-evo) — alongside metallic bipolar plates and interconnects for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) applications. It operates a highly automated production facility including ISO 7 cleanroom manufacturing with capacity of up to 10,000 stacks per year, and opened a subsidiary plant in Suzhou, China in May 2024 to serve the Chinese market.

The company's primary revenue model is B2B hardware sales of fuel cell stacks and components, sold directly to OEMs and system integrators across seven target verticals: heavy-duty trucks and buses, passenger automotive (SUVs and larger cars), light commercial vehicles, rail, marine (megayachts, ferries, cargo ships), off-highway/material handling, and stationary power generation. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales with dedicated Director Sales Global and account managers; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Reference customers include zepp.solutions (Dutch stationary power integrator), KLM Ground Services (airport ground power), MITIS (Belgian integrator for the European spaceport), an unnamed cruise ship operator, an unnamed European automotive OEM developing future production vehicles, and a global car manufacturer with a five-year, mid-triple-digit million euro bipolar plate supply contract slated to begin series production in 2026.

EKPO is privately held under joint control of ElringKlinger AG and OPmobility, with no external venture or growth-equity investors identified. Its leadership comprises three Managing Directors (Dr. Stefan Dwenger, Mark Passolt, and Carole Brinati, who joined March 1, 2023), supported by a VP of Marketing & Communications, a Director Sales Global, and technical heads of Stack Design and Industrial Engineering. Certifications include ISO 9001:2015 (quality), ISO 50001:2018 (energy management), and TISAX (automotive information security). Headcount stood at 138 with operations in Germany and China.

Name

EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH

Legal name

EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH

Website

https://ekpo-fuelcell.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH is a 2021-founded joint venture of ElringKlinger and OPmobility that develops and manufactures PEMFC stack modules, bipolar plates, and SOFC interconnects for automotive, heavy-duty, rail, marine, off-highway, and stationary power OEMs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fuel Cell Components

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing (336320), Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing (33632)

SIC

Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620), Electronic Components, Nec (3679)

akta.pro primary industry

Truck & Commercial Vehicle Electrification Manufacturing (eAxles/Battery Packs/Fuel Cells) (IMACABAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) Manufacturing (IMACACAJ)

Keywords

• PEMFC stack modules
• Fuel cell components
• Bipolar plate manufacturing
• Hydrogen mobility systems
• Fuel cell technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Dettingen an der Erms, Baden-Württemberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Fuel Cell Stack Modules: Sale of complete PEMFC stack modules (NM20, NM12-twin, NM12-single, NM5-evo) to OEMs and system integrators for integration into vehicles and stationary power systems
2. Bipolar Plates: Sale of metallic bipolar plates for fuel cell stacks to automotive manufacturers and fuel cell system producers
3. Interconnects: Sale of interconnects for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell applications

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

EKPO develops and mass-produces PEMFC stack modules (NM20, NM12-twin, NM12-single, NM5-evo), metallic bipolar plates, and Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) interconnects. These are sold as B2B components and sub-systems to automotive OEMs, truck, bus, rail, marine, off-highway, and stationary power system integrators for integration into hydrogen-based CO2-neutral mobility and energy applications.

Product overview

EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies is a joint venture between ElringKlinger and OPmobility specializing in the development and large-scale production of PEM fuel cell stacks and components for CO2-neutral mobility. The product portfolio is organized around three core hardware pillars: PEMFC stack modules (NM20, NM12-twin, NM12-single, NM5-evo) providing the primary power generation units; bipolar plates as essential components regulating hydrogen and air supply and water removal within the stacks; and interconnects for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) applications. These products serve diverse market segments including automotive ( SUVs, passenger cars), heavy commercial vehicles (trucks, buses), light commercial vehicles, marine (megayachts, ferries, cargo ships), rail, off-highway, material handling (forklifts), electrolyzers, and stationary power generation. The company operates manufacturing facilities including a main plant in Dettingen/Erms, Germany with cleanroom production (ISO 7), and a subsidiary in Suzhou, China.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NM20 PEMFC Stack Module High-performance PEMFC stack module for heavy-duty commercial vehicles, marine, and rail applications requiring the highest power output in EKPO's stack portfolio.
• NM12-twin PEMFC Stack Module Twin-configuration PEMFC stack module providing high combined power output in a compact design, suitable for marine, off-highway, and rail applications.
• NM12-single PEMFC Stack Module PEMFC stack module for automotive passenger car, off-highway, and marine applications, offering high power density in a compact footprint.
• NM5-evo PEMFC Stack Module
• Metallic Bipolar Plates
• SOFC Interconnects

Quantifiable outcome

• Production capacity of up to 10,000 stacks per year at automotive standards
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Hauzer Techno CoatingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership for coating technologies. The collaboration that began several years ago has evolved into a strategic partnership between EKPO and Hauzer for coating technologies used in fuel cell component manufacturing.
• ElringKlingercoreOthersParent company and joint venture partner providing industrialization expertise, manufacturing capabilities, and automotive supplier network.
• OPmobilitycoreOthersParent company and joint venture partner (formerly Plastic Omnium) providing additional automotive supplier expertise and global reach.
• zepp.solutionsmajorTechnology or IntegrationDutch technology company integrating EKPO fuel cell stacks into stationary zero-emission power units. Partnership for PEM fuel cell technology powering the zepp.G240 generator and other stationary energy systems. EKPO supplies stacks while zepp.solutions integrates them into power generation solutions for industrial applications.
• MITISmajorTechnology or IntegrationBelgian system integrator cooperating with EKPO for development of high-efficiency fuel cell system for stationary power generation. Partnership within multi-year development project of international consortium for hydrogen-based, grid-independent, CO2-neutral energy supply for European spaceport.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Plug Power: US-based PEM fuel cell and green hydrogen solutions provider with stacks for material handling, stationary power, and emerging heavy-duty mobility — overlaps with EKPO's stack modules across multiple verticals.
• Ballard Power Systems: Canadian PEM fuel cell stack manufacturer focused on heavy-duty mobility (trucks, buses, trains, marine) and stationary power — directly overlaps EKPO's NM-series stack product line and customer base.
• PowerCell Sweden: Swedish PEM fuel cell stack developer supplying automotive and stationary applications; competes with EKPO in the same stack module category with similar heavy-duty mobility focus.

Emerging players

• REFIRE (Shanghai Refire): Chinese PEM fuel cell stack manufacturer targeting heavy-duty trucks, buses, and stationary applications; competes with EKPO in both China and export markets with strong government backing.
• SinoHytec: Leading Chinese fuel cell engine and stack supplier for commercial vehicles, with products targeting the same heavy-duty FCEV segment EKPO addresses in China via the Suzhou subsidiary.
• Cellgard (Cellgard Fuel Cell): Fuel cell component and stack developer focused on heavy-duty mobility and stationary applications; smaller competitor with similar technology focus to EKPO.

Broad incumbents

• Cummins / Accelera: Accelera by Cummins includes PEM fuel cell stacks for trucks, buses, rail, and stationary power, directly competing with EKPO while operating within Cummins' broader engine and powertrain portfolio.
• Bosch (Power Solutions / Hydrogen): Global Tier-1 automotive supplier with a hydrogen fuel cell stack business, including commercial vehicle partnerships; broader portfolio than EKPO but overlapping stack technology and OEM customer base.
• Hyundai Motor Group (HTWO): Vertical OEM with HTWO fuel cell brand supplying stacks for the Nexo and commercial vehicles; a potential competitor and possible customer for EKPO's stacks or bipolar plates.
• Toyota Motor Corporation (Fuel Cell Division): Vertical OEM developing PEM fuel cell stacks for the Mirai passenger car and commercial vehicle partnerships; competes with EKPO by serving captive automotive demand with in-house stack technology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ekpo-fuel-cell-technologies

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH