ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A hydrogen fuel-cell powered heavy-duty truck developed by Hyzon Motors Inc. will soon hit the road in California, marking the tech developer’s first customer trial in the U.S.
Hyzon has signed a trial agreement with Total Transport Services Inc. (TTSI), a port trucking company in Southern California, to provide a Class 8 heavy-duty fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) to TTSI for a 30-day trial during the fourth quarter of 2021.
The truck, built on a 2022 Freightliner Cascadia chassis, is expected to have 600 peak horsepower and a range of up to 400 miles, according to a statement from Hyzon. The truck is expected to haul up to 82,000 pounds gross combined vehicle weight (GCVW), a standard load for TTSI, and will take advantage of the public heavy-duty hydrogen refueling station in Wilmington, California.
The trial will mark TTSI’s first experience with a zero-emissions vehicle capable of 400 miles range.
“Deploying the truck in real operations was a key requirement for us,” said Vic LaRosa, president of TTSI. “TTSI’s trucks run 18 to 20 hours each day, hauling heavy loads. Hyzon’s FCEVs provide the quick refueling and high performance necessary to meet these operational needs.”
During the trial, TTSI plans to run a full load from Long Beach to Sacramento before exhibiting the vehicle at the NorCal Fleet Academy & Expo Oct. 6-7. Before arriving at TTSI, the Hyzon Class 8 fuel cell truck is expected to be part of the Ride & Drive at the ACTExpo Conference in Long Beach, California, Aug. 31 – Sept. 1.
According to TTSI, between 13,000 and 14,000 trucks operate at the Long Beach port every year, emitting about 2,600 tons of CO2.
“TTSI has led the way in contributing to California’s clean-air initiatives by implementing new technologies ahead of the curve,” said Craig Knight, CEO of Hyzon. “Their use case — high utilization, heavy loads, focused around a central location — is very common and is precisely what Hyzon has been fulfilling internationally. Through this trial, Hyzon and TTSI will demonstrate how zero-emissions trucking in the U.S. can be achieved in the near-term.”
TTSI plans to eventually operate a 100% zero-emissions fleet. Originally a fully diesel fleet, TTSI has been transitioning to liquid natural gas (LNG), compressed natural gas (CNG) and hybrid models.
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