GAIA has the overall aim of developing high power and high current density automotive MEAs well beyond the current state of the art up to TRL5. This project, encompassing OEMs, leading industrial and academic/research organisation/research institute partners with long expertise in fuel cell science and technology, and building on best developments from the FCHJU, will not only provide significantly higher performance MEAs but will also ensure the designs satisfy the cost, durability and operational targets set by the call.

Accordingly, the specific objectives of the project are to:

• Develop world-leading components (electrocatalysts, membranes, gas diffusion and microporous layers) and improve the interfaces between them to minimise resistances;
• Realise the potential of these components in next generation MEAs showing a step-change in performance that will largely surpass the state of the art by delivering a beginning of life power density of 1.8 W/cm2 at 0.6 V;
• Validate the MEA performance and durability in full size cell short stacks, with durability tests of 1000 h with extrapolation to 6,000 h.

- Provide a cost assessment study that demonstrates that the MEAs can achieve the cost target of 6 €/kW for an annual production rate of 1 million square metres.