Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on type-approval of hydrogen powered motor vehicles and amending Directive 2007/46/EC {SEC(2007)1301} {SEC(2007)1302}
Date: 2007-10-10
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: approximation of laws, hydrogen, motor vehicle, technical regulations, technical standard

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 10.10.2007 
COM(2007) 593 final 

2007/0214 (COD) 

Proposal for a 

REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

on type-approval of hydrogen powered motor vehicles and amending Directive 
2007/46/EC  

(presented by the Commission) 

{SEC(2007)1301} 
{SEC(2007)1302} 

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1) 

CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

Grounds for and objectives of the proposal 

The objective of the proposal is to lay down harmonised rules on the construction of motor 
vehicles with a view to ensuring the functioning of the internal market while at the same time 
providing for a high level of public safety and a high level of environmental protection. 

The  proper  functioning  of  the  single  market  in  the  European  Union  requires  common 
standards regarding the approval of hydrogen powered vehicles. Action at Community level 
prevents  varying  product  standards  emerging  across  Member  States  which  results  in 
fragmentation  of  the  internal  market  and  imposition  of  unnecessary  barriers  to  intra-
Community trade.  

At  the  same  time,  since  there  are  perceived  safety  issues  with  using  hydrogen  for  vehicle 
propulsion, it should be ensured that hydrogen systems are as safe as conventional propulsion 
technologies.  

General context 

Hydrogen is not a source of energy but a promising energy carrier.  

The use of hydrogen as fuel for road vehicles offers an environmentally friendly solution for 
mobility.  This  is  because  with  the  use  of  hydrogen  as  fuel,  whether  in  fuel  cells  or  internal 
combustion engines, there are no carbon emissions and greenhouse gases produced from the 
vehicle. If the fuel is produced in a sustainable manner, the use of this propulsion technology 
could significantly contribute to the improvement of the environment. 

However, at present hydrogen powered vehicles are not included in the European Community 
vehicle  type-approval  framework.  This  situation  results  in  a  fragmented  internal  market  of 
these  vehicles,  which  discourages  the  introduction  of  this  environmentally  friendly 
technology. 

Furthermore,  hydrogen  is  a  substance  that  has  different  characteristics  from  conventional 
fuels  that  are  used  for  vehicle  propulsion.  In  order  to  realise  the  environmental  benefits 
associated  with  the  use  of  hydrogen  vehicles,  the  share  of  these  in  the  total  vehicle  fleet 
should  be  increased.  One  of  the  major  factors  contributing  to  the  increasing  number  of 
hydrogen vehicles on the roads is the existence of public confidence in this new technology. 

Existing provisions in the area of the proposal 

There are no existing provisions in the area of the proposal. 

Consistency with the other policies and objectives of the Union 

The proposal is fully in line with the aims of the European Union's Sustainable Development 
strategy and contributes significantly to the objectives of the Lisbon strategy. 

2) 

CONSULTATION  OF 
ASSESSMENT 

Consultation of interested parties 

INTERESTED 

PARTIES  AND 

IMPACT 

Consultation methods, main sectors targeted and general profile of respondents 

In developing the proposal the Commission has consulted stakeholders in a number of ways: 

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•  There  was  consultation  with  the  Hydrogen  Working  Group.  This  is  a  specialist  expert 
stakeholder working group responsible for supporting the Commission on issues related to 
the type-approval of hydrogen vehicles. A broad range of interested parties is involved in 
the  work  of  this  group:  national  authorities,  vehicle  manufacturers,  component  suppliers 
and industry associations. 

•  A questionnaire was sent to stakeholders in June 2006 on possible policy options regarding 
the approval framework for hydrogen vehicles. The questionnaire aimed at gathering views 
of stakeholders as to the preferred option and the associated costs of approval under each 
of these options. 

•  A consultant was engaged to provide input for the impact assessment and to give technical 

advice on the draft proposal for a potential regulation. 

•  To understand more fully the implications of the policy options, the consultant organised 
meetings  with  key  automotive  companies  involved  in  hydrogen  technology  to  generate 
additional data on safety, technology and the related costs. 

•  There were presentations to key stakeholders of the Hydrogen Working Group during the 
second half of 2006 and early 2007 on the results of the work carried out by the consultant. 

•  The preliminary draft proposal for a Regulation on the type-approval of hydrogen vehicles 
was  put  to  public  consultation  in  July  2006.  The  consultation  generated  around  20 
responses from a range of different stakeholders. 

Summary of responses and how they have been taken into account 
During the internet consultation, a number of issues were raised by stakeholders.1 The impact 
assessment  that  accompanies  this  proposal  provides  a  full  account  of  the  substantive  issues 
raised and discusses how they have been taken into consideration. 

Collection and use of expertise 

Scientific/expertise domains concerned 

The  proposal  required  analysis  of  the  necessary  safety  provisions  and  the  assessment  of  the 
available  policy  options  as  well  as  the  associated  economic,  societal  and  environmental 
impacts. 

Methodology used 

The following work was carried out by the consultant:  

•  review  of  relevant  literature  to  identify  safety  and  environmental  issues 

surrounding the introduction of hydrogen vehicles; 

•  gathering  and  evaluation  of  information  on  the  impacts  of  the  various  policy 

options on public safety, the environment and the economy; 

•  assessment  of  stakeholder  responses  to  the  questionnaire  sent  out  by  the 

Commission services in June 2006 on the available policy options; 

1 

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/automotive/pagesbackground/hydrogen/consultation/contributions.htm 

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•  comparison of impacts of policy options regarding public safety, the environment 

and the economy in qualitative and quantitative terms; 

•  review of technical requirements of a draft proposal for a potential regulation as to 

its ability to address the identified safety issues. 

Main organisations/experts consulted 

Input  for  the  impact  assessment  and  technical  advice  on  the  draft  proposal  for  a  potential 
regulation was provided by TRL Ltd. in the UK.  

Summary of advice received and used 

The Commission used the consultant’s report as an input to the analysis of the various policy 
options. The preferred policy option has been selected on the basis of a cost-benefit analysis, 
as explained in the impact assessment accompanying the proposal.  

Means used to make the expert advice publicly available 
The report of TRL is available on the DG Enterprise and Industry web site.2 

Impact assessment 

Four policy options have been considered: 

(1) 

No  policy  change:  This  option  would  involve  no  further  changes  to  the  current 
situation.  Currently,  the  scope  of  European  Community  type-approval  legislation 
does  not  include  hydrogen  powered  vehicles.  Thus,  Member  States  may  grant 
individual approvals without introducing legislation. 

With no change in the policy regarding the approval of hydrogen vehicles, there is a 
high risk that the functioning of the internal market would be impaired. This would 
result  in  substantial  cost  implications  for  manufacturers  and  would  entail  possible 
repercussions on public safety. 

There is a  high risk that with no policy change, poor air quality and high levels of 
noise in cities of the European Union will remain an issue as atmospheric pollution 
and noise will continue to have a detrimental impact on human health. 

This  policy  option  would  lead  to  uneven  treatment  of  vehicle  manufacturers  with 
regard  to  the  vehicle  approval  procedure  and  would  lack  any  predictability  for 
manufacturers  to  design  their  vehicles.  Further,  it  would  constitute  a  substantial 
barrier for the development of hydrogen technology in the EU. 

Therefore, this policy option is not considered to be viable. 

(2) 

Legislation  at  Member  State  level:  This  policy  option  would  involve  adoption  of 
legislation  at  Member  State  level  to  accommodate  the  introduction  of  hydrogen 
vehicles. 

With  diverging  standards  emerging  from  Member  States,  the  fragmented  situation 
regarding  the  approval  of  vehicles  would  continue  to  exist,  which  would  result  in 
manufacturers  facing  unduly  high  development  and  approval  costs  and  limited 
market  accessibility.  The  policy  option  would  not  offer  a  solution  for  the  present 
uncertainty regarding the approval of hydrogen vehicles, therefore would discourage 
further investment in the hydrogen technology. 

2 

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/automotive/pagesbackground/hydrogen/hydrogen_final_report.pdf 

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In  comparison  with  the  'Legislation  at  EU  level'  option,  this  policy  option  would 
result  in  substantially  lower  environmental  benefits  and  would  not  ensure  that 
hydrogen vehicles are at least as safe as conventional vehicles. 

Thus, the option would result in a fragmented internal market and would not ensure 
that  the  policy  objectives  are  attained.  Therefore,  this  is  not  the  approach  to  be 
followed. 

(3) 

Legislation at European Union level: This policy option would involve the extension 
of the EC type-approval legislation to include hydrogen powered vehicles and setting 
out harmonised provisions for these vehicles. 

Legislation at Community level prevents varying product standards emerging across 
Member States which results in fragmentation of the internal market and imposition 
of unnecessary barriers to intra-Community trade. Through harmonised standards on 
hydrogen powered vehicles it is possible to reap the economies of scale as production 
series can be made for the whole European market. This policy option would open up 
markets  in  some  Member  States  where  hydrogen  vehicles  could  not  currently  be 
sold. 

As  shown  in  the  impact  assessment,  this  option  will  have  the  clear  benefits  of 
ensuring  the  proper  functioning  of  the  internal  market,  providing  a  high  level  of 
public safety throughout all EU Member States and improving noise and air quality 
levels  sooner.  This,  in  turn,  will  improve  public  health  and,  thus,  will  enable 
governments to generate savings. 

Further,  it  would  be  ensured  that  the  European  Union  keeps  pace  with  other 
important  automotive  regions  of  the  World  with  regard  to  the  introduction  of 
advanced  technologies  and  the  international  competitiveness  of  the  European 
industry might be improved. 

Thus, this option is pursued in the proposal. 

(4) 

Non-regulatory approach: Self-regulation through a negotiated commitment with the 
automotive industry to establish requirements for hydrogen powered vehicles. 

It is not clear that a self commitment provides an adequate guarantee that hydrogen 
vehicles  will  be  as  safe  as  conventional  vehicles  or  that  there  will  be  appropriate 
sanctions  available  if  the  self-commitment  were  to  be  breached.  In  addition,  this 
approach  is  not  likely  to  ensure  that  hydrogen  vehicles  are  treated  equally  in 
comparison to conventional vehicles in the type-approval procedure. Moreover, it is 
not apparent that the use of a voluntary approach would offer any additional benefits 
to the industry, governments or the general public.  

The option of non-regulatory approach was therefore not considered further. 

The  Commission  services  carried  out  an  impact  assessment  listed  in  the  Work 
Programme under the reference number 2006/ENTR/044. 

3) 

LEGAL ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSAL 

Summary of the proposed action 

The impact analysis has identified that the preferred policy option is the adoption of an EU 
Regulation  with  the  purpose  of  incorporating  hydrogen  vehicles  of  categories  M1,  M2,  M3 
and N1, N2, N3 in the EU whole vehicle type approval framework. 

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The  proposal  foresees  the  amendment  of  the  Framework  Directive3  in  order  to  include 
hydrogen vehicles in the approval procedure. It specifies technical requirements to be applied 
for  the  type-approval  of  hydrogen  components  (hydrogen  containers  and  hydrogen 
components  other  than  containers)  included  in  the  hydrogen  system  in  order  to  ensure  that 
hydrogen related components are working in a  proper and safe way. In addition, it includes 
requirements  for  the  type-approval  of  vehicles  with  regard  to  the  installation  of  hydrogen 
components  or  systems  in  vehicles.  The  proposal  foresees  the  amendment  of  separate  type-
approval  Directives  and  Regulations  in  order  to  include  specific  requirements  for  hydrogen 
powered vehicles. 

Legal basis 

The legal basis of the proposal is Article 95 of the Treaty. 

Subsidiarity principle 

The  subsidiarity  principle  is  respected,  since  the  policy  objectives  cannot  be  sufficiently 
achieved  by  actions  of  the  Member  States  and  can  be  better  achieved  at  Community  level. 
European Union action is necessary because of the need to avoid the emergence of barriers to 
the single market. 

Community  action  will  better  achieve  the  objectives  of  the  proposal  because  it  will  avoid 
fragmentation of the internal market which would otherwise arise and will ensure the safety of 
hydrogen vehicles.  

Proportionality principle 

The proposal complies with the proportionality principle because it does not go beyond what 
is  necessary  in  order  to  achieve  the  objectives  of  ensuring  the  proper  functioning  of  the 
internal  market  while  at  the  same  time  providing  for  a  high  level  of  public  safety  and 
environmental protection. 

Choice of instruments 

The  proposed  instrument  is  a  Regulation.  Other  means  would  not  be  adequate  for  the 
following reason: 

•  The use of a Regulation is considered to be appropriate in providing the required assurance 

for compliance whilst not requiring the transposition into Member States legislation. 

The proposal uses the "split-level approach" that has originally been introduced at the request 
of  the  European  Parliament  and  used  in  other  pieces  of  legislation,  e.g.  in  the  case  of  the 
Directive for heavy duty vehicle emissions4 and the Regulation on the Euro 5 and 6 stage of 
light-duty  vehicles  emissions5.  This  approach  foresees  that  the  proposal  and  adoption  of 
legislation will be made according to two different, but parallel, routes: 

•  first,  the  fundamental  provisions  will  be  laid  down  by  the  European  Parliament  and  the 
Council  in  a  Regulation  based  on  Article  95  of  the  EC  Treaty  through  the  co-decision 
procedure (the 'co-decision proposal'); 

•  secondly, the technical specifications implementing the fundamental provisions will be laid 
down  in  a  Regulation  adopted  by  the  Commission  with  the  assistance  of  a  regulatory 
committee (the 'comitology proposal'). 

3 
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5 

Directive 2007/46/EC 
Directive 2005/55/EC (OJ L 275, 20.10.2005, p.1), Directive 2005/78/EC (OJ L 313, 29.11.2005, p.1) 
Regulation (EC) No 715/2007 (OJ L 171, 29.06.2007, p.1) 

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4) 

BUDGETARY IMPLICATION 

The proposal has no implications for the Community budget. 

5) 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION  

Simulation, pilot phase and transitory period 

There are general transitory periods in the proposal in order to allow sufficient lead times for 
vehicle manufacturers. 

Simplification 

The  proposal  provides  for  simplification  of  administrative  procedures  for  public  authorities 
(EU  or  national).  The  proposal  is  included  in  the  Commission's  Work  and  Legislative 
Programme under the reference 2006/ENTR/044. 

Repeal of existing legislation 

The adoption of the proposal will not lead to the repeal of existing legislation. 

Review/revision/sunset clause 

The  proposal  foresees  that  technical  requirements  of  the  Regulation  will  be  adapted  to 
technical progress in the future. 

European Economic Area 

The  proposed  act  concerns  an  EEA  matter  and  should  therefore  extend  to  the  European 
Economic Area. 

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2007/0214 (COD) 

Proposal for a 

REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

on type-approval of hydrogen powered motor vehicles and amending Directive 
2007/46/EC 

(Text with EEA relevance) 

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community,  and  in  particular 
Article 95 thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission6, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee7, 
Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty8, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

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7 
8 
9 

The  internal  market  comprises  an  area  without  internal  frontiers  in  which  the  free 
movement  of  goods,  persons,  services  and  capital  must  be  ensured.  To  that  end  a 
comprehensive  Community type-approval system for motor  vehicles  is in place. The 
technical  requirements  for  the  type-approval  of  motor  vehicles  with  regard  to 
hydrogen propulsion should be harmonised to avoid the adoption of requirements that 
differ from one Member State to another and to ensure the proper functioning of the 
internal  market  while,  at  the  same  time,  providing  for  a  high  level  of  environmental 
protection and public safety. 

This Regulation is a new separate Regulation in the context of the Community type-
approval procedure under Directive […/…/EC] of the European Parliament and of the 
Council of [DATE] establishing a framework for the approval of motor vehicles and 
their  trailers,  and  of  systems,  components  and  separate  technical  units  intended  for 
such  vehicles  (Framework  Directive)9.  Therefore,  Annexes  IV,  VI  and  XI  to  that 
Directive should be amended accordingly.  

Following the request of the European Parliament, a new regulatory approach has been 
introduced in EU vehicle legislation. This Regulation should therefore lay down only 
fundamental  provisions  on  requirements  for  the  type-approval  of  hydrogen  systems 
and  components,  whereas  the  technical  specifications  should  be  laid  down  by 
implementing measures adopted following comitology procedures. 

OJ C , , p. . 
OJ C , , p. . 
OJ C , , p. . 
[Proposal  for  the  new  ‘Framework  Directive’  currently  under  adoption  process.  COM(2003)418  and 
COM(2004)738.] 

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(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

(10) 

In  the  transport  sector,  an  increased  share  of  more  environmentally  friendly  vehicles 
should be aimed at and additional efforts should be undertaken in order to place more 
of those vehicles on the market. The introduction of vehicles with alternative fuels can 
produce a significant improvement in the urban air quality. 

Hydrogen is considered as a clean way of powering vehicles as vehicles propelled with 
hydrogen produce neither carbon based pollutants nor emissions of green-house gases 
from the tailpipe. However, care should be taken that the hydrogen fuel is produced in 
a  sustainable  manner,  so  that  the  overall  environmental  balance  of  introducing 
hydrogen as fuel for motor vehicles is positive. 

Defining the approval framework for vehicles using hydrogen would contribute to the 
confidence in the new technology for potential users and the public at large. 

Therefore,  it  is  necessary  to  create  an  adequate  framework  in order  to  accelerate  the 
placing  on  the  market  of  vehicles  with  innovative  propulsion  technologies  and 
vehicles which use alternative fuels with a low environmental impact. 

The majority of manufacturers are making important investments in the development 
of hydrogen technology and have already started to place such vehicles on the market. 
In future years, it is likely that the share of hydrogen powered vehicles will increase in 
the  total  fleet.  Therefore,  the  specification  of  common  requirements  concerning  the 
safety of those vehicles is necessary. 

It  is  necessary  to  implement  safety  measures  for  the  hydrogen  system  and  its 
components to obtain type-approval. 

It  is  necessary  to  take  the  installation  of  the  hydrogen  system  and  its  components  in 
the vehicle into account for the approval of the vehicle. 

(11)  Due  to  the  characteristics  of  the  fuel,  hydrogen  powered  vehicles  may  require  a 
specific treatment from rescue services. It is, therefore, necessary to lay down vehicle 
labelling  requirements  to  inform  those  services  of  the  fuel  stored  on-board  of  the 
vehicle. 

(12)  The manufactures should also take appropriate measures to prevent misfuelling of the 

vehicle. 

(13)  The measures necessary for the implementation of this Regulation should be adopted 
in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the 
procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission10. 

(14) 

In particular, power should be conferred on the Commission to introduce requirements 
and  test  procedures  relating  to  new  forms  of  hydrogen  storage  or  usage,  additional 
hydrogen components and the propulsion system. Power should also be conferred on 
the Commission to establish specific procedures, tests and requirements with regard to 
the impact protection of hydrogen vehicles and integrated system safety requirements. 
Since  those  measures  are  of  general  scope  and  are  designed  to  amend  non-essential 
elements of this Regulation and to supplement this Regulation by the addition of new 
non-essential  elements,  they  must  be  adopted  in  accordance  with  the  regulatory 
procedure with scrutiny provided for in Article 5a of Decision 1999/468/EC. 

(15)  The  objectives  of  this  Regulation,  namely  the  realisation  of  the  internal  market 
through the introduction of common technical requirements concerning motor vehicles 

10 

OJ L184, 17.7.1999, p. 23. Decision as amended by Decision 2006/512/EC (OJ L200, 22.7.2006, p.11). 

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using  hydrogen,  cannot  be  sufficiently  achieved  by  the  Member  States.  Due  to  the 
scale of the action required the objectives can be better achieved at Community level. 
Therefore,  the  Community  may  adopt  measures,  in  accordance  with  the  principle  of 
subsidiarity, as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of 
proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is 
necessary for that purpose, 

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HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 

Article 1 

Subject matter 

This Regulation establishes the requirements for the type approval of vehicles with regard to 
hydrogen  propulsion,  and  for  the  type-approval  of  hydrogen  components  and  hydrogen 
systems.  This  Regulation  also  establishes  requirements  for  the  installation  of  such 
components and systems. 

This Regulation applies to:  

Article 2 

Scope 

(1)  hydrogen powered vehicles of categories M and N, including impact protection 

and electric safety of such vehicles; 

(2)  hydrogen  components  designed  for  motor  vehicles  of  categories  M  and  N, 

listed in Annex I;  

(3)  hydrogen  systems  designed  for  motor  vehicles  of  categories  M  and  N, 

including new forms of hydrogen storage or usage. 

Article 3 

Definitions 

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply:  

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

"hydrogen powered vehicle" means any motor vehicle that uses pure hydrogen or a 
mixture of hydrogen and natural gas as fuel to propel the vehicle; 

"propulsion system" means the internal combustion engine or fuel cell system used to 
propel the vehicle; 

"hydrogen  component"  means  the  hydrogen  container  and  all  other  parts  of  the 
vehicle  that  are  in  direct  contact  with  hydrogen  or  which  form  part  of  a  system 
installed because of the use of hydrogen; 

"hydrogen  system"  means  an  assembly  of  hydrogen  components  and  connecting 
parts  fitted  on  hydrogen  powered  vehicles,  excluding  the  propulsion  systems  or 
auxiliary power units;  

"Maximum Allowable Working Pressure" (MAWP) means the maximum pressure to 
which  a  component  is  designed  to  be  subjected  to  and  which  is  the  basis  for 
determining the strength of the component under consideration; 

"Nominal  Working  Pressure"  (NWP)  means,  in  case  of  containers,  the  settled 
pressure at a uniform temperature of 288K (15°C) for a full container, or in case of 
other components, the pressure level at which a component typically operates; 

"inner  tank"  means  the  part  of  the  container  designed  to  use  liquid  hydrogen  that 
contains the cryogenic hydrogen. 

For the purposes of point 4, the following shall be considered as hydrogen systems: 

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(a) 

usage monitoring and control system; 

(b)  vehicle interface system; 

(c) 

excess flow system; 

(d)  overpressure protection system; 

(e) 

heat exchanger failure detection system. 

Article 4 

Obligations of the Manufacturers 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

Manufacturers  shall  demonstrate  that  all  new  hydrogen  powered  vehicles  sold, 
registered or put into service within the Community and all hydrogen components or 
hydrogen systems sold or put into service within the Community are type approved 
in accordance with this Regulation. 

For  the  purposes  of  the  vehicle  type  approval,  the  manufacturers  shall  equip  the 
hydrogen  powered  vehicles  with  hydrogen  components  and  systems  that  are  tested 
and installed in accordance with this Regulation. 

For the purposes of the type approval of components and systems, the manufacturers 
shall  ensure  that  hydrogen  components  and  systems  are  tested  in  accordance  with 
this Regulation. 

Manufacturers shall provide to the approval authorities appropriate information about 
the vehicle specifications and test conditions.  

Manufacturers  shall  provide  information  for  periodic  inspection  of  the  hydrogen 
systems and components during the service life of the vehicle.  

General requirements for hydrogen components and systems 

Article 5 

The manufacturers shall ensure that: 

(a) 

the hydrogen components and systems function in a correct and safe way and 
they  reliably  withstand  the  electrical,  mechanical,  thermal  and  chemical 
operating conditions without leaking or visibly deforming; 

(b) 

the hydrogen system is protected against over-pressurisation; 

(c)  materials of those parts of the hydrogen components and systems, which are to 

be in direct contact with hydrogen are compatible with hydrogen; 

(d)  hydrogen  components  and  systems  withstand  expected  temperatures  and 

pressures during their lifetime; 

(e) 

(f) 

(g) 

hydrogen  components  and  systems  reliably  withstand  a  range  of  operating 
temperatures laid down in the implementing measures; 

hydrogen  components  are  marked  in  accordance  with  the  implementing 
measures; 

all hydrogen components with directional flow have the flow direction clearly 
indicated. 

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Article 6 

Requirements for hydrogen containers designed to use liquid hydrogen 

The hydrogen containers designed to use liquid hydrogen shall be tested in accordance with 
the test procedures set out in Annex II.  

Article 7 

Requirements for hydrogen components other than containers designed to use liquid 
hydrogen 

1. 

2. 

The  hydrogen  components  other  than  containers  designed  to  use  liquid  hydrogen 
shall be tested in accordance with the test procedures set out in Annex III with regard 
to their type.  

The pressure relief devices shall be designed in a way that ensures that the pressure 
in  the  inner  tank  or  in  other  hydrogen  components  does  not  exceed  a  permissible 
value.  The  values  shall  be  set  in  proportion  to  the  Maximum  Allowable  Working 
Pressure (MAWP) of the hydrogen system. A safety system for heat exchangers shall 
be provided to detect their failure. 

Article 8 

Requirements for hydrogen containers designed to use compressed (gaseous) hydrogen 

1. 

2. 

3. 

The  hydrogen  containers  designed  for  the  use  of  compressed  (gaseous)  hydrogen 
shall be classified pursuant to point 1 of Annex IV. 

The containers referred to in paragraph 1 shall be tested in accordance with the test 
procedures set out in Annex IV with regard to their type. 

A detailed description of all principal material properties and tolerances used in the 
container  design  shall  be  provided,  including  the  results  of  the  tests  to  which  the 
material has been submitted.  

4. 

The use of the mixture of gaseous hydrogen and natural gas as fuel is allowed. 

Article 9 

Requirements for hydrogen components other than containers designed to use compressed 
(gaseous) hydrogen 

1. 

The  hydrogen  components  other  than  containers  designed  to  use  compressed 
(gaseous) hydrogen shall be tested in accordance with the test procedures set out in 
Annex V with regard to their type.  

2. 

The use of the mixture of gaseous hydrogen and natural gas as fuel is allowed.  

Article 10 

General requirements for the installation of hydrogen components and systems 

The hydrogen components and systems shall be installed in accordance with the requirements 
laid down in Annex VI. 

EN 

13 

   EN 

 
Article 11 

Timetable for application 

1. 

2. 

3. 

With effect from the date set out in the second paragraph of Article 15, the national 
authorities  shall  refuse,  to  grant  EC  type-approval  or  national  type-approval  in 
respect  of  new  types  of  vehicles  on  grounds  relating  to  hydrogen  propulsion  or,  to 
grant EC component type-approval or national type-approval in respect of new types 
of hydrogen components or systems, which do not comply with the requirements set 
out in this Regulation.  

With  effect  from  [date,  36  months  from  the  date  of  entry  into  force]  national 
authorities  shall,  on  grounds  relating  to  hydrogen  propulsion  in  the  case  of  new 
vehicles  which  do  not  comply  with  the  requirements  set  out  in  this  Regulation, 
consider  the  certificates  of  conformity  to  be  no  longer  valid  for  the  purposes  of 
Article 26 of Directive […/…/EC] and shall prohibit the registration, sale and entry 
into  service  of  such  vehicles,  and,  in  the  case  of  new  hydrogen  components  or 
systems which do not comply with the requirements set out in this Regulation, shall 
prohibit their sale and entry into service. 

Without prejudice to paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article, and subject to the entry into 
force  of  the  implementing  measures  adopted  pursuant  to  Article  12(1),  if  a 
manufacturer  so  requests,  national  authorities  may  not,  on  grounds  relating  to 
hydrogen propulsion refuse to grant EC type-approval, or national type approval for 
a new type of vehicle or a new type of hydrogen component or system, or prohibit 
the  registration,  sale  or  entry  into  service  of  a  new  vehicle  or  prohibit  the  sale  or 
entry  into  service  of  a  new  hydrogen  component  or  system,  where  the  vehicle, 
component  or  system  concerned  complies  with  the  requirements  set  out  in  this 
Regulation. 

Article 12 

Implementing measures 

1. 

The Commission shall, in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 39(9) 
of Directive [2007/…/EC], adopt the following implementing measures:  

(a) 

(b) 

the administrative provisions for the EC type-approval of vehicles with regard 
to the hydrogen propulsion, and of hydrogen components and systems; 

the  information  to  be  provided  by  manufacturers  for  the  purposes  of  type-
approval and periodic inspection referred to in Article 4(4) and (5); 

(c) 

the detailed rules for the test procedures set out in Annexes II to V; 

(d) 

the detailed rules for hydrogen components and systems set out in Annex VI; 

(e) 

the requirements for the safe and reliable functioning of hydrogen components 
and systems as set out in Article 5.  

2. 

The Commission may, in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 39(9) 
of Directive [2007/…/EC], adopt the following implementing measures: 

(a) 

specific  technical  requirements  for  the  application  of  Article  8(4)  and  Article 
9(2); 

(b) 

specification for the requirements relating to any of the following: 

EN 

14 

   EN 

 
– 

– 

– 

– 

new forms of hydrogen storage or usage; 

impact protection of the vehicle; 

integrated  system  safety  requirements,  covering  at  least  detection  of 
leakage and the requirements relating to purge gas; 

electrical isolation and electric safety; 

(c) 

other measures necessary for the application of this Regulation. 

Article 13 

Amendments to Directive 2007/46/EC 

Annexes IV, VI and XI to Directive 2007/46/EC are amended in accordance with Annex VII 
to this Regulation. 

Article 14 

Sanctions for non-compliance 

1. 

Member States shall lay down the provisions on penalties applicable for infringement 
by  manufacturers  of  the  provisions  of  the  present  Regulation  and  shall  take  all 
measures necessary to ensure that they are implemented. The penalties provided for 
must  be  effective,  proportionate  and  dissuasive.  Member  States  shall  notify  those 
provisions  to  the  Commission  no  later  than  [date,  eighteen  months  after  entry  into 
force  of  this  Regulation]  and  shall  notify  it  without  delay  of  any  subsequent 
amendment affecting them. 

2. 

The types of infringements which are subject to a penalty shall include: 

(a)  making false declarations during the approval procedures or procedures leading 

to a recall; 

(b) 

falsifying test results for type approval or in-use compliance; 

(c)  withholding  data  or  technical  specifications  which  could  lead  to  recall  or 

withdrawal of type approval; 

(d) 

refusal to provide access to information; 

(e) 

use of defeat devices. 

Article 15 

Entry into force 

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in 
the Official Journal of the European Union. 

It shall apply from [DATE - 24 months after entry into force], with the exception of Article 
11(3) which shall apply from the date of entry into force. 

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. 

EN 

15 

   EN 

 
Done at Brussels, […] 

For the European Parliament 
The President 
[…] 

For the Council 
The President 
[…] 

EN 

16 

   EN 

 
ANNEX I 

List of components subject to type approval 

The following hydrogen components are subject to type-approval: 

(a) 

components designed to use liquid hydrogen: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

container; 

automatic valve (if first automatic valve downstream of the container or if a 
safety device); 

check valve or non-return valve (if safety device); 

flexible fuel line (if upstream of first automatic shut off valve or other safety 
devices); 

(5) 

heat exchanger (if upstream of first automatic shut off valve); 

(6)  manual valve (if first manual valve downstream of the container or if a safety 

device); 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

pressure regulator (if upstream of first automatic shut off valve); 

pressure relief valve; 

pressure, temperature and flow sensor (if safety device);  

(10) 

refuelling connection or receptacle. 

(b) 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

components designed to use compressed (gaseous) hydrogen: 

container; 

automatic valve; 

container assembly; 

fittings; 

flexible fuel line; 

(6)  heat exchanger; 

(7)  hydrogen filter; 

(8)  manual valve; 

(9)  non-return valve; 

(10)  pressure regulator; 

(11) 

pressure relief device; 

(12) 

pressure relief valve; 

(13) 

receptacle; 

(14) 

removable storage system connector; 

(15) 

sensors  (pressure  or  temperature  or  hydrogen  or  flow  sensors)  if  used  as  a 
safety device. 

EN 

17 

   EN 

 
 
ANNEX II 

Applicable test procedures for hydrogen containers designed for the use of liquid 
hydrogen 

Type of test 

Burst test 

Bonfire test 

Maximum filling level test 

Pressure test 

Leak test 

The test procedures to be applied for the type-approval of hydrogen containers shall include: 

(a) 

(b) 

 Burst  test:  The  purpose  of  the  test  is  to  provide  evidence  that  the  hydrogen 
container  does  not  fail  before  a  specified  level  of  high  pressure,  the  burst 
pressure  (safety  factor  multiplied  by  the  MAWP)  is  exceeded.  In  order  to 
obtain  type-approval,  the  value  of  the  real  burst  pressure  in  the  test  must 
exceed the required minimum burst pressure. 

Bonfire test: The purpose of the test is to provide evidence that the container 
with  its  fire  protection  system  does  not  burst  when  tested  under  the  specified 
fire conditions.  

(c)  Maximum filling level test: The purpose of the test is to provide evidence that 
the level of hydrogen during the filling procedure never causes the opening of 
the pressure relief devices.  

(d) 

(e) 

Pressure test: The purpose of the test is to provide evidence that the hydrogen 
container  can  withstand  a  specified  level  of  high  pressure.  In  order  to  prove 
this,  the  container  shall  be  pressurized  to  a  given  value  for  a  specified  time. 
After  the  test  the  container  shall  not  show  any  signs  of  visible  permanent 
deformation or visible leaks. 

Leak  test:  The  purpose  of  the  test  is  to  provide  evidence  that  the  hydrogen 
container does not show evidence of leakage under the specified conditions. In 
order  to  prove  this,  the  container  shall  be  pressurised  to  its  nominal  working 
pressure.  It  shall  not  show  any  evidence  of  leakage  detected  through  cracks, 
pores or other similar defects. 

EN 

18 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
Applicable test procedures for hydrogen components other than containers designed for the use of liquid hydrogen 

ANNEX III 

HYDROGEN 
COMPONENT

Pressure 
test 

External 
leakage 
test 

Endurance 
test 

Operational 
test 

Corrosion 
resistance 
test 

Resistance 
to dry-
heat test 

Ozone 
ageing

Temperature 
cycle test 

Pressure 
cycle 
test 

Hydrogen 
compatibility 
test 

Seat 
leakage 
test 

TYPE OF TEST 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

Pressure relief 
devices 

Valves 

Heat 
exchangers 

Refuelling 
connections 

Pressure 
regulators 

Sensors 

Flexible fuel 
lines 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

19 

EN 

EN 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Subject to specific requirements for any of the hydrogen components, the test procedures to 
be applied for the type-approval of hydrogen components other than containers shall include: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

(g) 

(h) 

(i) 

(j) 

Pressure  test:  The  purpose  of  the  test  is  to  provide  evidence  that  the  hydrogen 
containing  components  can  withstand  a  pressure,  which  is  higher  than  the  working 
pressure  of  the  component.  A  hydrogen  component  shall  not  show  any  visible 
evidence of leak, deformation, rupture or cracks when the pressure is increased to a 
certain rate.  

External  leakage  test:  The  purpose  of  the  test  is  to  provide  evidence  that  the 
hydrogen components are free from external leakage and shall not show evidence of 
porosity.  

Endurance  test:  The  purpose  of  the  test  is  to  provide  evidence  that  the  hydrogen 
components  are  capable  of  reliable  operation  continuously.  The  test  consists  of 
carrying  out  a  specific  number  of  test  cycles  for  the  hydrogen  component  under 
various  temperature  and  pressure  conditions.  A  test  cycle  means  the  normal 
operation (i.e. one opening and one closing) of the hydrogen component. 

Operational  test:  The  purpose  of  the  test  is  to  provide  evidence  that  the  hydrogen 
components are capable of operating reliably.  

Corrosion  resistance  test:  The  purpose  of  the  test  is  to  provide  evidence  that  the 
hydrogen  components  are  capable  of resisting corrosion. In order to prove this,  the 
hydrogen components shall be submitted to contact with specified chemicals.  

Resistance to dry-heat: The purpose of the test is to provide evidence that the non-
metallic hydrogen components are capable of resisting high temperature. In order to 
prove  this,  the  components  shall  be  exposed  to  air  at  the  maximum  operating 
temperature.  

Ozone  ageing:  The  purpose  of  the  test  is  to  provide  evidence  that  the  non-metallic 
hydrogen components are capable of resisting ageing due to ozone. In order to prove 
this, the components shall be exposed to air with high ozone concentration.  

Temperature  cycle  test:  The  purpose  of  the  test  is  to  provide  evidence  that  the 
hydrogen  components  are  capable  of  resisting  high  variations  of  temperature.  In 
order  to  prove  this,  the  hydrogen  components  shall  be  submitted  to  a  temperature 
cycle  of  specified  duration  from  the  minimum  operating  temperature  up  to  the 
maximum operating temperature. 

Pressure cycle test: The purpose of the test is to provide evidence that the hydrogen 
components  are  capable  of  resisting  high  variations  of  pressure.  In  order  to  prove 
this,  the  hydrogen  components  shall  be  submitted  to  a  pressure  change  from 
atmospheric  pressure  to  the  Maximum  Allowable  Working  Pressure  (MAWP)  and 
shall decrease to atmospheric pressure within a short period of time. 

Hydrogen  compatibility  test:  The  purpose  of  the  test  is  to  provide  evidence  that 
metallic  hydrogen  components  (i.e.  cylinders  and  valves)  are  not  susceptible  to 
hydrogen embrittlement. In hydrogen components that are subjected to frequent load 
cycles, conditions that can lead to local fatigue and the initiation and propagation of 
fatigue cracks in the structure shall be avoided. 

(k) 

Seat  leakage  test:  The  purpose  of  the  test  is  to  provide  evidence  that  hydrogen 
components  are  free  from  leakage  while  installed  in  the  hydrogen  system.

EN 

20 

   EN 

 
ANNEX IV 

Applicable test procedures for hydrogen containers designed for the use of compressed 
(gaseous) hydrogen 

Type of test 

Burst Test 

Applicable To 
Container Type 

1 

2 

3 

4 

(cid:57)  (cid:57)  (cid:57)  (cid:57) 

Ambient Temperature Pressure Cycle Test 

(cid:57)  (cid:57)  (cid:57)  (cid:57) 

LBB Performance Test 

Bonfire Test 

Penetration Test 

Chemical Exposure Test 

(cid:57)  (cid:57)  (cid:57)  (cid:57) 

(cid:57)  (cid:57)  (cid:57)  (cid:57) 

(cid:57)  (cid:57)  (cid:57)  (cid:57) 

  (cid:57)  (cid:57)  (cid:57) 

Composite Flaw Tolerance Test 

  (cid:57)  (cid:57)  (cid:57) 

Accelerated Stress Rupture Test 

  (cid:57)  (cid:57)  (cid:57) 

Extreme Temperature Pressure Cycle Test 

  (cid:57)  (cid:57)  (cid:57) 

Impact Damage Test 

  (cid:57)  (cid:57) 

Leak Test 

Permeation Test 

Boss Torque Test 

Hydrogen Gas Cycle Test 

  (cid:57) 

  (cid:57) 

  (cid:57) 

  (cid:57) 

1. 

Classification of containers designed for the use of compressed (gaseous) hydrogen: 

Type 1 

Seamless metallic container 

Type 2 

Hoop wrapped container with a seamless metallic liner 

Type 3 

Fully wrapped container with a seamless or welded metallic liner 

Type 4 

Fully wrapped container with a non-metallic liner. 

2. 

The test procedures to be applied for the type-approval of those containers: 

(a) 

Burst  test:  The  purpose  of  the  test  is  to  provide  the  value  of  the  pressure  at 
which  the  container  bursts.  In  order  to  prove  this,  the  container  shall  be 
pressurized to a given value, which should be higher than the nominal working 
pressure  of  the  container.  The  burst  pressure  of  the  container  shall  exceed  a 
specified  pressure.  The  burst  pressure  of  the  container  shall  be  recorded  and 
shall be kept by the manufacturer throughout the service life of the container. 

EN 

21 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

(g) 

(h) 

Ambient temperature pressure cycle test: The purpose of the test is to provide 
evidence that the hydrogen container is capable of resisting high variations of 
pressure.  In  order  to  prove  this,  pressure  cycles  shall  be  carried  out  on  the 
container until a failure occurs or until a specified number of cycles is reached 
by increasing and decreasing the pressure to a specified value. The containers 
shall  not  fail  before  reaching  a  specified  number  of  cycles.  The  number  of 
cycles to failure, along with the location and description of the failure shall be 
documented.  The  manufacturer  shall  keep  the  results  throughout  the  service 
life of the container. 

 leak before break (LBB) performance test: The purpose of the test is to provide 
evidence that the hydrogen container fails by leakage before rupture. In order 
to prove this, pressure cycles shall be carried out on the container by increasing 
and  decreasing  the  pressure  to  a  specified  value.  The  containers  tested  shall 
either fail by leakage or shall exceed a specified number of test cycles without 
failure. The number of cycles to failure, along with the location and description 
of the failure shall be recorded. 

Bonfire test: The purpose of the test is to provide evidence that the container 
with  its  fire  protection  system  does  not  burst  when  tested  under  the  specified 
fire conditions. The container, pressurized to working pressure shall only vent 
through the pressure relief device and shall not rupture.  

Penetration  test:  The  purpose  of  the  test  is  to  provide  evidence  that  the 
container does not rupture when penetrated by a bullet. In order to prove this, 
the  complete  container  with  its  protective  coating  shall  be  pressurized  and 
penetrated by a bullet. The container shall not rupture.  

Chemical exposure test: The purpose of the test is to provide evidence that the 
container can withstand exposure to the specified chemical substances. In order 
to prove this, the container shall be exposed to various chemical solutions. The 
pressure  of  the  container  shall  be  increased  to  a  given  value  and  a  burst  test 
shall  be  carried  out.  The  container  shall  achieve  a  specified  burst  pressure, 
which shall be recorded. 

Composite  flaw  tolerance  test:  The  purpose  of  the  test  is  to  provide  evidence 
that the hydrogen container is capable of resisting exposure to high pressure. In 
order to prove this, flaws of specified geometry shall be cut into the container 
sidewall  and  a  specified  number  of  pressure  cycles  shall  be  carried  out.  The 
container shall not leak or rupture within a number of cycles, but may fail by 
leakage during the remaining test cycles. The number of cycles to failure, along 
with the location and description of the failure shall be recorded. 

Accelerated stress rupture test: The purpose of the test is to provide evidence 
that  the  hydrogen  container  is  capable  of  resisting  exposure  to  high  pressure 
and  high  temperatures  at  the  limit  of  the  allowable  operating  range  for  an 
extended period of time. In order to prove this, the container shall be exposed 
for  a  specified  time  to  specified  pressure  and  temperature  conditions,  and 
subsequently  undergo  a  burst  test  as  referred  to  under  a).  The  container  shall 
achieve a specified burst pressure. 

(i) 

Extreme temperature pressure cycle test: The purpose of the test is to provide 
evidence  that  the  hydrogen  container  can  withstand  variations  of  pressure 
under  different  temperature  conditions.  In  order  to  prove  this,  the  container, 

EN 

22 

   EN 

 
free of any protective coating shall be hydrostatically cycle tested by subjecting 
it to extreme ambient conditions and then carrying out a leak test and a burst 
test as referred to under k) and a). The containers shall be cycle tested without 
showing evidence of rupture, leakage or fibre unravelling. The containers shall 
not burst at a specified pressure.  

Impact  damage  test:  The  purpose  of  the  test  is  to  provide  evidence  that  the 
hydrogen  container  remains  operational  after  submitting  it  to  the  specified 
mechanical impacts. In order to prove this, the container shall be subjected to a 
drop  test  and  a  specified  number  of  pressure  cycles  shall  be  carried  out.  The 
container shall not leak or rupture within a specified number of cycles, but may 
fail by leakage during the remaining test cycles. 

Leak  test:  The  purpose  of  the  test  is  to  provide  evidence  that  the  hydrogen 
container does not show evidence of leakage under the specified conditions. In 
order  to  prove  this,  the  container  shall  be  pressurised  to  its  nominal  working 
pressure.  It  shall  not  show  any  evidence  of  leakage  detected  through  cracks, 
pores or similar defects.  

Permeation  test:  The  purpose  of  the  test  is  to  provide  evidence  that  the 
hydrogen  container  does  not  permeate  more  than  a  specified  rate.  In  order  to 
prove  this,  the  container  shall  be  pressurized  with  hydrogen  gas  to  nominal 
working pressure and then monitored for permeation in a closed chamber for a 
specified time under specified temperature conditions.  

(j) 

(k) 

(l) 

(m)  Boss  torque  test:  The  purpose  of  the  test  is  to  provide  evidence  that  the 
hydrogen  container  is  capable  of  resisting  the  specified  torque.  In  order  to 
prove this, a torque shall be applied to the container from different directions. 
Then, a leak test and a burst test as referred to under k) and a) above shall be 
carried out. The container shall meet the burst and leak test requirements. The 
applied torque, leakage and burst pressure shall be recorded.  

(n) 

Hydrogen gas cycle test: The purpose of the test is to provide evidence that the 
hydrogen  container  is  capable  of  resisting  high  variations  of  pressure  when 
hydrogen gas is used. In order to prove this, the container shall be subject to a 
number  of  pressure  cycles  with  the  use  of  hydrogen  gas  and  a  leak  test  as 
referred  to  under  k)  above.  The  deteriorations,  such  as  fatigue  cracking  or 
electrostatic discharge of the container shall be inspected. The container shall 
meet  leak  test  requirements.  The  container  shall  be  free  of  any  deterioration, 
such as fatigue cracking or electrostatic discharge. 

EN 

23 

   EN 

 
ANNEX V 

Applicable test procedures for hydrogen components other than containers designed for 
the use of compressed (gaseous) hydrogen 

HYDROGEN 
COMPONENT 

Material 
tests 

Corrosion 
resistance 
test 

Endurance 
test 

Hydraulic 
pressure 
cycle test 

Internal 
leakage test 

External 
leakage test 

TYPE OF TEST 

Pressure 
devices 

relief 

Automatic 
valves  

Manual valves 

Non-return 
valves 

Pressure 
valves 

relief 

Heat exchangers 

Receptacles 

Pressure 
regulators 

Sensors 
hydrogen 
systems 

Flexible 
lines 

Fittings 

for 

fuel 

Hydrogen filters 

Removable 
storage 
connectors 

system 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

(cid:57) 

Subject to specific requirements for any of the hydrogen components, the test procedures to 
be applied for the type-approval of hydrogen components other than containers shall include: 

Material tests:  

2.1. 

Hydrogen compatibility test set out in point (j) of Annex III.  

EN 

24 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2.2. 

2.3. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

Ageing  test:  The  purpose  of  the  test  is  to  check,  whether  the  non-metallic  material 
used in a hydrogen component can withstand ageing. No visible cracking of the test 
samples is allowed. 

Ozone compatibility test: The purpose of the test is to check, whether the elastomer 
material  of  a  hydrogen  component  is  compatible  with  ozone  exposure.  No  visible 
cracking of the test samples is allowed.  

Corrosion resistance test set out in point (e) of Annex III.  

Endurance test set out in point (c) of Annex III.  

Hydraulic  pressure  cycle  test  set  out  in  point  (i)  of  Annex  III.  The  hydrogen 
components  shall not show visible sign of deformation or extrusion and shall fulfil 
the requirements of the internal and external leakage test.  

Internal leakage test: The purpose of the internal leakage test is to provide evidence 
that  the  specified  hydrogen  components  are  free  from  internal  leakage.  In  order  to 
prove this, the hydrogen components shall be pressurized under different temperature 
conditions and observed for leakage. The hydrogen component shall stay bubble free 
and shall not leak internally at a higher rate than a specified number.  

7. 

External leakage test set out in point (b) of Annex III.  

EN 

25 

   EN 

 
1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

11. 

12. 

ANNEX VI 

Requirements for the installation of hydrogen components and systems 

The hydrogen system shall be installed such that it is protected against damage.  

It should be isolated from heat sources in the vehicle. 

The  hydrogen  container  may  only  be  removed  for  replacement  with  a  hydrogen 
container for the purpose of refuelling or for maintenance.  

In the case of internal combustion engine, the container shall not be installed in the 
engine compartment of the vehicle.  

It shall be adequately protected against any kind of corrosion.  

Measures have to be taken to prevent hydrogen leakage during refilling and to make 
sure that the removal of a removable hydrogen storage system is done safely. 

The  refuelling  connection  shall  be  secured  against  maladjustment  and  shall  be 
protected from dirt and water.  

The  hydrogen  container  shall  be  mounted  and  fixed  so  that  the  specified 
accelerations  can  be  absorbed  without  damage  of  the  safety  related  parts  when  the 
hydrogen containers are full.  

The  hydrogen  fuel  supply  lines  shall  be  secured  with  an  automatic  valve.  The 
refuelling line shall be secured with a valve. The valves shall close if a malfunction 
of the hydrogen system requires so or any other event that results in the leakage of 
hydrogen occurs. When the propulsion system is switched off, the fuel supply from 
the container to the propulsion system shall be switched off and remain closed until 
the system is required to operate. 

No  hydrogen  component,  including  any  protective  materials  that  form  part  of  such 
components,  shall  project  beyond  the  outline  of  the  vehicle  or  protective  structure. 
This shall not apply if a hydrogen component is adequately protected and no part of 
the hydrogen component is located outside this protective structure. 

The hydrogen system shall be installed such that it is protected against damage so far 
as  is  reasonably  practical,  such  as  damage  due  to  moving  vehicle  components, 
impacts, grit or due to the loading or unloading of the vehicle or the shifting of loads. 

No hydrogen component shall be located near the exhaust of an internal combustion 
engine or other heat source, unless such components are adequately shielded against 
heat. 

The  ventilating  or heating  system for the  passenger  compartment  and  places  where 
leakage or accumulation of hydrogen is possible shall be designed so that hydrogen 
is not drawn into the vehicle. 

In the event of accidents, it shall be ensured so far as is reasonably practicable that 
the  pressure  relief  device  and  the  associated  venting  system  remain  capable  of 
functioning.  The  venting  system  of  the  pressure  relief  device  shall  be  adequately 
protected against dirt and water.  

The  passenger  compartment  of  the  vehicle  shall  be  separated  from  the  hydrogen 
system in order to avoid accumulation of hydrogen. It shall be ensured that any fuel 
leaking  from  the  container  or  its  accessories  does  not  escape  to  the  passenger 
compartment of the vehicle. 

EN 

26 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
13. 

14. 

Hydrogen  components  that  could  leak  hydrogen  within  the  passenger  or  luggage 
compartment  or  other  non-ventilated  compartment  shall  be  enclosed  by  a  gas  tight 
housing or by an equivalent solution as specified in the implementing legislation. 

Electrically  operated  devices  containing  hydrogen  shall  be  insulated  in  such  a 
manner that no current passes through hydrogen containing parts, in order to prevent 
electric sparks in the case of a fracture. 

Metallic components of the hydrogen system shall have electrical continuity with the 
vehicles earth. 

15. 

Labels may be used to indicate to rescue services that liquid or compressed (gaseous) 
hydrogen is used. 

EN 

27 

   EN 

 
ANNEX VII 

Amendments to Directive 2007/46/EC  

1. 

In Annex IV, part I, in point 62 the following new line shall be added to the table: 

Subject 

Regulatory 
act 
reference 

Official 
reference 

Journal 

Applicability 

M1  M2  M3  N1 

N2  N3  O1  O2  O3  O4 

62. 

Hydrogen 

[…./…/EC]  L .., …, p. .. 

X 

X  X  X 

X  X 

system 

2. 

In the Appendix to Annex IV, part I in point 62 the following new line shall be added 
to the table: 

Subject 

Regulatory act 
reference 

Official Journal 
reference 

62 

Hydrogen system 

[…./…/EC] 

M1 

X 

3. 

In the Appendix to Annex VI in point 62 the following new line shall be added to the 
table: 

Subject 

Regulatory 
reference 

act 

As amended by

Applicable to 

Variants 

62. Hydrogen system 

[…./…/EC] 

4. 

In Annex XI, Appendix 1, in point 62 the following new line shall be added to the 
table: 

Item  Subject 

Regulatory 
reference 

act 

M1 ≤ 2 500 
(1) kg 

M1 > 2 500 
(1) kg 

M2 

M3 

62  Hydrogen system 

[…./…/EC] 

Q 

G+Q 

G+Q 

G+Q 

EN 

28 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5. 

In  Annex  XI,  Appendix  2  in  point  62  the  following  new  line  shall  be  added  to  the 
table: 

Item  Subject 

Regulatory 
act reference 

M1  M2  M3  N1  N2  N3  O1  O2  O3  O4 

62  Hydrogen system 

[…./…/EC] 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

6. 

In  Annex  XI,  Appendix  3  in  point  62  the  following  new  line  shall  be  added  to  the 
table: 

Item  Subject 

Regulatory  act 
reference 

M2  M3  N1 

N2 

N3 

O1 

O2 

O3 

O4 

62  Hydrogen system 

[…../…/EC] 

Q 

Q 

Q 

Q 

Q 

7. 

In  Annex  XI,  Appendix  4  in  point  62  the  following  new  line  shall  be  added  to  the 
table: 

Item 

Subject 

Regulatory act reference 

Mobile 
crane 
of category N3 

62 

Hydrogen system 

[…./…/EC] 

X 

EN 

29 

   EN