Dive Brief:
- Hyzon Motors completed its first commercial run using a liquid hydrogen electric truck to make deliveries to eight Performance Food Group customers, according to a news release.
- The vehicle traveled from Tempe, Texas, to locations near Dallas in a 16-hour continuous run in 100-plus degree temperatures, the companies said.
- “Our liquid hydrogen vehicle powered by our proprietary 200kW fuel cell system should be able to provide long distance range between 650 and 800 miles, on par with many diesel truck range requirements,” Hyzon CEO Parker Meeks said in the release.
Dive Insight:
Liquid hydrogen for tractor-trailers could allow for farther travel.
Hyzon’s liquid hydrogen version allows travel for up to 800 miles, well past its other North America models that currently have a maximum range of up to 350 miles, according to the OEM’s website.
“Compared to gaseous hydrogen, the current industry standard, liquid hydrogen allows Hyzon to increase the amount of fuel on board significantly thanks to increased energy density, with no changes to vehicle weight or payload,” the trucking company said.
The commercial run is another step in advancing the technology, according to Chart Industries CEO and President Jill Evanko. Chart partnered with the startup to develop a tank system that withstood extremely cold temperatures, according to the news release.
The hydrogen approach is one solution for firms moving to meet regulatory pressures for decarbonizing fleets. McKinsey & Co. partners noted in a report last year that the technology for longhaul trucking could meet current shortcomings of battery electric vehicles.
“As vehicle production and demand increase — especially from 2025 onward, when more vehicles become available — so, too, will the demand for hydrogen production and refueling infrastructure,” the report said.
