may2022 - 28

SPECIAL TECHNOLOGY REPORT
Commercial fuel cell electric
vehicle deployments are
picking up steam in the U.S.
Here are the manufacturers
at the head of the pack.
By Tyler Fussner
» Cummins debuted its Class 8 fuel cell electric truck in 2019. Since then, several OEMs have joined the push to make hydrogen a viable fuel source for trucks.
Photo: Cummins
L
ike battery-electric vehicles, fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) offer fleets a
zero-emission solution that will satisfy the demands of government regulations
and a global movement to decarbonize transportation. The difference
is the electricity is generated onboard in the fuel cells using a chemical
reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. FCEVs therefore require additional
componentry on the truck, along with a new fueling infrastructure
to supply the hydrogen. For the effort, these hydrogen-powered vehicles
have far superior range to BEVs and fill up in about the same time as a
gas or diesel truck.
Buses and passenger vehicles around the world have used the technology
for decades, while Asia and Europe have executed several commercial trucking
deployments in the past five or so years. Now hydrogen is hitting the U.S.
trucking sector, with a fair number of meaningful deployments.
Before detailing those, let's explain what exactly a hydrogen fuel cell is,
and how it powers a Class 8 truck.
According to Wido Westbroek, senior director of fuel cell strategic projects
for Cummins, a PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel cell has many
layers within it. There are materials that bring hydrogen from one side and
air from the other, and when the oxygen and hydrogen come into contact at
the membrane level, a reaction occurs. " The byproduct of that is electricity, "
he explained. " We put these layers together into what's called a stack, and
28 Fleet Maintenance | May 2022
we collect the electricity that is coming off a stack. " That electricity is then
delivered throughout the truck where needed-whether to charge a battery
or to drive electric motors that drive the wheels of the truck.
This past March, Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced a bill called the
Hydrogen for Trucks Act of 2022 to establish a grant program to support the
adoption of heavy-duty hydrogen trucks and fueling stations. The government
would allocate $200 million from 2023-2027, with grants not to exceed $20
million. Along with $200 million in incentives, if passed, the act would also
provide data and benchmarks for different types of fleet operations.
This is an important step because for fuel cell trucks to become economically
feasible, the technology will need a lot of initial help.
" The costs of hydrogen, vehicles, and hydrogen production all must come
down significantly to make hydrogen economically competitive with alternatives, "
noted Mike Roeth, executive director of the North American Council
for Freight Efficiency, which released a detailed confidence report on the
viability of FCEVs. After speaking with industry experts and researchers,
Roeth surmised that " these costs will be reduced through scale and innovation
over time. "
The burden now is on vehicle and powertrain manufacturers to pilot and
commercialize FCEVs to show fleets where and how these trucks will work.
Here are some of the largest and most intriguing developments in the industry.

may2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of may2022