Keyou

Germany-based Keyou develops technology to convert conventional diesel engines to hydrogen engines. Keyou’s technology combines efficient fuel injection, exhaust gas recirculation, turbocharging, and a patented hydrogen catalytic converter. Keyou claims that this can be achieved with only a few modifications to the base engine. Keyou is targeting both old and new buses and trucks for its technology, which the company has yet to commercialize.

Keyou launched a pioneer program called PF8 for eight fleet operators to test its 18-ton prototype truck under realistic conditions with a CO2-free 8-liter hydrogen engine converted by the company. The trucks will be rented under a pay-per-use model.

Keyou engineers Thomas Korn (CEO), Markus Schneider (Chief Technical Officer), and Alvaro Sousa (Chief Operating Officer) have more than 15 years of combined professional experience, including more than 10 years in alternative powertrain research and development at BMW.

Key customers and partnerships

Keyou’s PF8 program customers include EP-Trans and Rheinkraft International.

As part of the HyCET research project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport Affairs (BMDV), Keyou is working with consortium leader BMW and consortium partners DEUTZ, DHLFreight, TotalEnergies Marketing Deutschland, and the Volvo Group to develop and test of a 40-ton truck powered by a 13-liter hydrogen combustion engine as of September 2022. The Paul Group (a commercial vehicle specialist) will build the vehicle which is scheduled for completion 2024 with road testing to begin in 2025.

In November 2023, the company expanded its partnership with the Paul Group beyond vehicle assembly (Paul assembled Keyou’s 18-ton truck and 12-meter city bus prototypes, and will also assemble Keyou’s pioneering PF8 18-ton truck fleet) to now include service, qualification and parts supply. In December 2023, Keyou partnered with VENTREX, an Austrian producer of valves and electronic pressure regulators for automotives, to purchase electronic pressure regulators for commercial vehicles.

Funding and financials

As of October 2023, the company was negotiating with investors for its Series B funding. In October 2020, Keyou secured Series A funding of EUR 7 million (around USD 8.5 million) from the European Innovation Council (EIC) through the Horizon 2020 accelerator funding program.