Recently, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the World Cup in Flachau, Klaus Tonhäuser, President and CEO of PRINOTH Group, took part in the discussion “Sustainability in Winter Sports” organized by Snow Space Salzburg Bergbahnen, which focused on ideas and new technologies that can reduce the environmental impact of all activities connected to skiing.
One of the highlights of this media talk, with over 100 journalists attending, was the official presentation of the PRINOTH LEITWOLF h2MOTION, the world’s first hydrogen powered snow groomer with an internal combustion engine by FPT Industrial. The new concept vehicle is in fact equipped with the new FPT XC13 Hydrogen version, 13 liter, six-cylinder engine, delivering 460 hp (338 kW) and 2,000 Nm of torque.
Image credits ©SNOWSPACESALZBURG
Fully ready for field tests, the LEITWOLF h2MOTION can be the ideal solution for sustainability-oriented ski resorts, such as Snow Space Salzburg Bergbahnen, whose remaining CO2 emissions are largely attributable to slope grooming.
Unveiled at IAA 2022, the new FPT XC13 is the first multi-fuel single-base engine. From diesel to natural gas – including biomethane – to hydrogen and renewable fuels, the base engine has been designed with multiple versions to offer maximum component standardization and easy integration into the final product.
Leveraging long experience on alternative fuels, the XC13 hydrogen engine is a first concept looking towards a complementary offer to accelerate the decarbonization process of the industrial applications sector.
The hydrogen combustion engine installed on the PRINOTH LEITWOLF h2MOTION is an additional technology in the FPT Industrial portfolio for zero CO2 emission solutions, offering customers the familiarity they are used to with traditional machines. The hydrogen fuel is stored in five tanks mounted on the back of the machine for an indicative running time of more than 3 hours.
Designed primarily for preparing slopes in larger ski resorts due to its power and size, the new concept vehicle is another step towards PRINOTH’s goal of a zero-carbon fleet and the collaboration with FPT Industrial signals the two companies’ mutual commitment to sustainability in off-road applications.
“Unveiled in September 2022, now ready for its first field test. Such a short timeframe reveals the unique quality of our XC13 engine,” comments Pierpaolo Biffali, Vice President Product Engineering at FPT Industrial. “We are proud to be next to PRINOTH in our mission to deliver sustainable propulsion solutions for our customers.”
“The FPT Industrial engine of the LEITWOLF h2MOTION is similar to a diesel engine,” says Klaus Tonhäuser, “and offers our customers what they are used to from other machines. This will contribute to the acceptance of the technology.”