“FCEVs tend to be best suited to applications
with medium to long-range requirements,
heavier payloads and a high need for fl exibility.
Although BEVs have the highest well-to-wheel
energy e ciency, the batteries have the lowest
energy density per weight, making them well
suited to lighter vehicles and shorter ranges.
Hydrogen has a much higher energy density
per weight than batteries - more the 3.5 times
- allowing FCEVs to travel longer distances and
perform better for heavier vehicles.”
Development for trucks is benefi tting from
lighter-duty vehicles. Daimler and Hyundai are
developing the technology for cars and HDVs,
while American manufacturer Kenworth has a
fl eet of fuel cell trucks in use in Californian
ports, utilizing scaled-up technology from
Toyota. However, hydrogen stations are
typically built-to-order and installed where
businesses or clusters of them are using fuel
cell vehicles. ACEA points out fi lling stations
52 // July 2019 // www.electrichybridvehicletechnology.com
A BLANK SHEET
Electrification in HDVs could get
an additional shot in the arm from
autonomous driving technology,
offering a chance to re-think how these
vehicles should look. Scania recently
showed a concept for a modular electric
drivetrain, which could fit under a bus,
truck or refuse vehicle, designed to
maximize cargo or occupant space.
McGeachie says it’s possible that
HDVs could become driverless before
they become electric, due to the
predictability of the routes. “If you put
the two together then you can be more
efficient with the delivery schedules, but
you also don’t need the additional crash
structure so there’s a mass reduction
there. It becomes a virtuous circle.”
for cars don’t off er hydrogen at high enough
pressure to suit HDVs, adding that a currently
non-existent 1,000-station network will be
needed in the EU by 2030.
Of course, with total ownership costs vital
to HDV operators, the roll-out of electrifi cation
hinges on legislation, and not only at a
national or international level. “A big push
will come from the risk being legislated out
of the operating environment,” McGeachie
says. “It’s only a matter of time, and it will be
cities, not governments. As soon as they see
it’s nearly viable I think they will legislate to
force things along and everyone will follow
on from that. It’s just a waiting game now.”
Charging infrastructure
Restrictions on battery capacity place greater
importance on the charging networks, and
another new challenge. The Dutch Living Lab
Smart Charging project points out that
European truck drivers are required to take a
45-minute break after four and a half hours at
the wheel. Based on energy consumption of
1.5kWh/km, rest areas would need an array of
fast chargers with a 1.2MW output to restore
400km (248 miles) of range in 30 minutes.
ACEA points out that the network of 6,000
suitable chargers required by 2030 hasn’t even
been planned yet.
Borsboom sees this as a major roadblock:
“One truck occupies one charging point 80
times longer than a fuel recharging point. In
addition, the public grid needs to be able to
support a huge increase of electric
consumption to a large number of locations.
The creation of a dense network will take time,
huge investments and coordination. Europe
and its national governments will need to take
the lead in this.”
In theory, hydrogen fuel cells (FCEVs) are
ideally placed to cure these issues. Already in
use with city buses, the Hydrogen Council
expects technology improvements to deliver a
20-35% reduction in fuel consumption over the
next decade, with falling hydrogen prices also
improving the business case for fl eets. Joseph
Cargnelli, chief technology o cer at fuel cell
system supplier Hydrogenics, expects it to
complement battery power.
10. Joseph Cargnelli,
CTO of Hydrogenics,
which specializes
in commercial
hydrogen solutions,
worked on the FC
Truck (left) with the
industry’s fi rst
drop-in fuel cell
9. Kenworth has
introduced a hydrogenpowered
truck using
a Toyota fuel cell
9
10
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