Heavy Duty Fuel Cell Trucks Blog Update
Connor Dolan
By Victoria Fink
Heavy Duty Fuel Cell Vehicles Leading the Way
The emerging expansion of the fuel cell vehicle (FCV) market from light-duty passenger cars and SUVs, to medium and heavy-duty trucks, is set to create new jobs and business opportunities around the world. Since our last blog post, there has been increasing interest in zero-emission fuel cell technologies to improve truck efficiency and sustainability.
H2Haul Truck Deployments in Europe
H2Haul was announced in October 2019 as a program to deploy 16 zero-emission fuel cell trucks in demonstration sites in Belgium, France, Germany, and Switzerland. The purpose of the program is to demonstrate the effectiveness of fuel cell trucks as a direct replacement for diesel vehicles, with equivalent driving range and load capacity. Industrial Vehicles Corporation (IVECO), and Enabling Transport Solutions (VDL ETS) will design, build, and test the heavy-duty trucks and refueling stations. Three separate fuel cell suppliers will particiapte in the program, including FCHEA members PowerCell Sweden and Hydrogenics (now a part of the Cummins family), as well as Elringkilinger.
The €12 million ($13 million), five-year project is supported by the European Commission through the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU). The consortium of partners in this program also includes FCHEA members Air Liquide and the BMW Group.
Plug Power Expanding Heavy-Duty Product Offerings
FCHEA member Plug Power recently launched a new 125 kW heavy-duty ProGen hydrogen engine for trucks, buses and port applications. The compact fuel cells can also be used in large scale stationary backup power systems. The company has also partnered with Colorado-based Lightning Systems, to design an electric fuel cell-powered Class 6 truck (up to 12.5 tons), capable of supporting middle-mile delivery logistics between warehouses and distribution centers.
Hydrogen fuel cell-powered zero emission electric truck. Source: Plug Power
Honda and Isuzu Motors Partner on Heavy-Duty Trucks
In January 2020, Honda R&D announced they’re collaboration with Isuzu Motor Co., to conduct a research project using hydrogen fuel cells to power heavy-duty trucks. The partnership is a two-year agreement to test Honda’s fuel cell systems with Isuzu’s heavy-duty trucks.
An Isuzu NPR Gas Cab Chassis commercial truck. Source: Isuzu
The partnership is the latest in a growing trend among automakers joining forces with commercial fuel cell vehicles, including existing partnerships between Toyota and Kenworth, Hyundai and Hydrospider, and PowerCell Sweden and Bosch.
Hyundai Trucks in the Swiss Alps
Hyundai Motor Company will be demonstrating a fleet of zero-emission heavy-duty trucks on the roads of Switzerland starting in the Spring of 2020. Hyundai has partnered with Hydrospider, a joint venture of H2 Energy, industrial gas maker Linde, and Swiss power utility Alpiq. Hydrospider will produce hydrogen from a 2 megawatt electrolysis plant to fuel an initial fleet of 40-50 Hyundai fuel cell trucks. Ultimately, the group plans to deploy as many as 1,600 trucks by 2025 in Switzerland, with increased electrolyzer capacity expanded to as much as 100 MW. Hyundai is preparing to launch a simillar hydrogen truck program in other European countries.
Hyundai’s Fuel Cell Truck. Source: Hyundai/Reuters
Hyundai Demonstration of Heavy-Duty Trucks in Korean Port
Another heavy-duty fuel cell vehicle partnership was announced in February 2020 by Hyundai and Yeosu Gwangyang Port Corporation, to commercialize heavy-duty vehicles in South Korea. A Memoriam of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the two companies regarding the development and demonstration of hydrogen fuel-cell trucks for logistics transportation and the establishment of a hydrogen fueling station. Hyundai will develop and pilot a hydrogen truck as part of this initiative, with the Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority providing hydrogen refueling station construction sites in Gwangyang Port and Busan.
U.S. Department of Energy Funding Heavy-Duty Development
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched H2@Scale to explore the potential of wide-scale hydrogen production and utilization in the United States to advance grid resiliency of the power generation and transmission sectors. H2@Scale is focused on researching better ways to generate, deliver, store, and use hydrogen.
As of January 2020, the DOE is offering $64 million in federal funding to advance H2@Scale projects in new markets with several topics specifically geared towards the heavy-duty sector: Fuel Cell R&D for Heavy Duty Applications, Membranes for Heavy-Duty Applications, and Domestically Manufactured Fuel Cells for Heavy-Duty Applications.
H2@Scale pillars. Source: H2@Scale
There is growing interest in hydrogen and fuel cells around the world and the heavy-duty sector is quickly emerging as a demonstration of hydrogen’s versatility. These projects and announcements are strong signals of commitment by industry leaders, government, and others to the great potential of fuel cell technology.