On Tuesday, New York-based pure-play hydrogen automaker Hyzon Motors announced a landmark partnership with listed energy equipment maker Chart Industries. The companies will jointly develop a liquid hydrogen-powered heavy-duty commercial truck with a range of up to 1,000 miles.
In a statement announcing the partnership, Hyzon touted liquid (rather than gaseous) hydrogen as a solution for fuel transitioning heavy transportation for several key reasons. Liquid hydrogen storage is twice as dense as the current 700 bar gaseous storage, so a tank of liquid hydrogen fuels a vehicle for nearly twice the distance. Weight is also a factor: liquid hydrogen storage tanks weigh less than 700 bar tanks, so using liquid hydrogen improves a truck’s payload capacity.
One challenge is integrating mobile tanks that store liquid hydrogen, which require temperatures of –423 °F, with a vehicle’s fuel cell that requires ambient temperature hydrogen gas. Hyzon says the Chart Industries partnership creates a unique opportunity to address this challenge, combining Chart’s market-leading liquid hydrogen equipment expertise with Hyzon’s experience manufacturing heavy-duty hydrogen vehicles.
The revolutionary extension of range will make the transition to a hydrogen-based transport industry attainable by solving challenges along the hydrogen value chain. Under the model to be developed, the number of heavy-duty refueling stations needed for these trucks becomes significantly less than the quantity needed for trucks using gas storage tank systems, as the driving range can readily match that of heavy-duty diesel trucks. In addition, the refueling infrastructure capital and operating costs are reduced with the elimination of the compression and refrigeration equipment needed for 700 bar vehicles.
Fewer stations would reduce the need to transport hydrogen to refilling locations, a time- and cost-intensive activity. Instead, large-scale low-cost green hydrogen production facilities could be built near the stations, relying on locally abundant resources such as solar, wind or hydropower. In the early hydrogen adoption phase, the 1,000-mile range could enable coast-to-coast routes with only four mega-hubs.
“With the current technology, fuel cell electric vehicles provide solutions for back-to-base trucking models,” said Hyzon CEO Craig Knight. “The extended range would significantly accelerate the adoption of hydrogen FCEV over-the-road transport solutions given the reduced infrastructure needs and increased refueling hub utilization.”
While trucking provides a near-term commercialization opportunity, this technological advance could also pave the way to hydrogen-based, zero-emissions aviation, marine and train transport, key transportation sectors that will benefit from a liquid hydrogen supply chain.
“With our over 55 years making liquid hydrogen equipment, we are excited to see this application for our liquid onboard hydrogen tank,” said Chart CEO and President Jill Evanko. “Hyzon is a great partner for this, not only for their fuel cell capabilities, but also for their customer base that is ready for this long-haul heavy-duty solution now – not in 5 years.”
News of its partnership with Hyzon comes less than a week after Chart Industries announced its acquisition of L.A. Turbine, a global leader in turboexpander design, engineering, manufacturing, assembly and testing process for new and aftermarket equipment. CEO Jill Evanko noted that L.A. Turbine is one of the only companies in the market that can design and produce very specialized expanders, one of the longest lead-time items in the hydrogen and helium liquefaction supply chain.
