We often hear about technology crossing over from motorsport. But if hydrogen fuel cells ever do make it to mainstream cars, it's looking as though trucks, not racing, will play a major part in establishing the technology first.
Bosch sees hydrogen as a major contributor to decarbonisation in the future and has recently put an articulated lorry powered by its fuel cell power module (FCPM) into service at its plant in Nuremberg, Germany. It has good reason to feel positive about a future hydrogen economy. Bosch expects a global hydrogen energy capacity of 100-170GW and sales revenue for the company running into billions by 2030.
Fuel cells consuming hydrogen and electrolysers making it have more than a little in common because one is effectively a reverse of the other. Fuel cells consume hydrogen and oxygen to make electricity, with heat and water as by-products, while electrolysers consume electricity to 'split' water by electrolysis and make hydrogen, with oxygen as a by-product.
It's not surprising, then, that Bosch is focusing on the development of both in conjunction with specialist partners. The 40-tonne Iveco truck is intended to set an example to support Bavaria's Hydrogen Strategy 2.0, but it's not alone and there are several thousand trucks worldwide that are also powered by Bosch fuel cell systems.
Large-scale production of the FCPM started in 2023 in Stuttgart-Feuerbach. The truck is expected to cover just under 7500 miles a year and has a range of around 500 miles fuelled by 70kg of hydrogen gas stored in five tanks at a pressure of 700 bar. The fuel cell system produces a total of 200kW but there are two high-voltage battery packs storing electricity, giving a total power output of 400kW. Refuelling times are said to be similar to that of refuelling a diesel truck.
Earlier this year, Bosch showed its Hybrion PEM (proton exchange membrane) electrolysis stacks, which form the heart of a 2.5MW system supplied by electrolyser specialist Fest. A proton exchange membrane is a fine polymer membrane a few microns thick that, in an electrolyser, allows hydrogen protons from water to pass through it to form hydrogen gas.
Elsewhere in Germany, BMW is planning a hydrogen pipeline link, aiming to make its Leipzig plant the first in the world to receive hydrogen in this way. A 1.2-mile pipeline will connect the plant to a hydrogen network and supplies are due to start in 2027.
Hydrogen is seen as a sustainable way to produce power in car manufacturing facilities and BMW plans to use the plentiful supply of piped hydrogen for some of its most energy-intensive processes, such as curing ovens in paint shops.
It already operates a fleet of 230 logistics vehicles, which are refuelled at nine hydrogen stations within the plant. The pipeline will connect the plant to Germany's Core Hydrogen Network, which will consist of more than 5600 miles of hydrogen pipeline in the country by 2032.
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If H2 trucks are a reality, why did they have to use such a terrible photoshop to head this story?
Well come on all you nae sayers, how will this not work?
Of 90,000 zero emission trucks sold last year 97% were battery electric. Sales of hydrogen trucks have stalled in China despite generous subsidies, and are flatlining in Europe. The falling costs of EV trucks make it virtually impossible for fuel cell vehicles to compete on cost per kilometre. Haulage firms are going to look at those lower operating costs and greater efficiency and make their fleet decisions based on that. This isn't about being a naysayer Peter, it's about cold, hard economic reality.
"Cold, hard economic reality"? How do trucks maximise profit? Spending as much time on the road as possible hauling as much as possible. Will they make more money carrrying 5 tonnes of useless batteriess and then waiting a day to charge? Or 100kg of H2 and filling up in 10 minutes when empty? Batteries are a useful transition tech - they aren't the future.
Yes I agree that fuel cells are better suited to trucks and buses than cars. The high cost of the technology is more easily accommodated in these inherently expensive vehicles and the hydrogen storage, cost and refuelling issues may be less of an issue. But surely the vehicle featured would be designed for a 75,000 annual mileage, not the 7500 miles quoted?
Charging will be carried out at depot overnight or during mandatory rest breaks. You're backing a certain loser Jason, but if you want to swap details we can make a little sidebet on which technology will be dominant in HGV sales in a decade's time - battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell. Will be happy to take your money!
You're in lala land again. An electric truck would not take 24 hours to recharge, the Tesla semi takes 1.25 hours, but you don't like facts.
Problem is 100kg of unsubsidsed hydrogen is currently 3000 dollars, one of the many reason the why the hydrogen car has failed, cost.
At the end of the day if BEV's took 90 percent of the market and the biggest lorries remainded diesel it would still be major achivement and probably enough to make a difference in the near future.
p.s. judging by your post it looks like you've given up on your dream of hydrogen cars, have you?
You need to ask!