H For HGVs

Under its Road to Zero strategy, the British government wants at least half of new vehicles to be ultra low emission by 2030. Is hydrogen or fuel cell power the answer?

- Richard Shrubb

Hydrogen, chemical symbol H, or fuel cell power has long been seen as a potential solution in achieving zero-carbon transport, despite scientific entrepreneur and Tesla boss Elon Musk dismissing the idea as ‘fool cell’ technology. Could it be the answer to the problem of HGV diesel emissions?

A study of the research seems to lead to the conclusion that, while this is a probability in other parts of the world, it might not be so likely in the UK and much of Europe.

It might work in the USA, for example. Giant US brewery company Anheuser-Busch announced in May that it had put in an order with Nikola Motor Company for up to 800 fuel cell long-haul HGVs.

The company stated: “The zero-emission trucks – which will be able to travel between 500 and 1200 miles and be refilled within 20 minutes, reducing idle time – are expected to be integrated into Anheuser-Busch’s dedicated fleet beginning in 2020. Through this agreement, Anheuser-Busch aims to convert its entire long-haul dedicated fleet to renewable powered trucks by 2025.”

Why hydrogen?

Fuel cell electric powertrains are essentially chemical batteries. At the hydrogen extraction site, water is split into hydrogen and oxygen through a process called electrolysis, where electricity is used to split the water. The hydrogen becomes a store of energy. It is pumped into the vehicle’s tank and then exposed to oxygen in the fuel cell. The hydrogen and oxygen combine to form water (the only ‘emission’ from the vehicle using hydrogen power), releasing energy as the atoms combine.

The resulting energy, electricity, drives the truck’s motor in much the same way as a battery would.

Graham Cooley, chief executive of UK-based hydrogen extraction and fuelling company ITM Power plc, explains the advantages of hydrogen.