Hydrogen fuel cell technology zero-emission truck start up, Hyzon has announced it has delivered four FCEVs to leading food distributor and supplier Performance Food Group in the USA with a ceremony at PFG’s Vistar facility in California.
In a move that is sure to get the people at Daimler hit under the collar, the trucks that Hyzon has equipped with its fuel cell technology appear to be Freightliner Cascadias.
Hyzon has weathered some scandals including losing its CEO as a result of a stock exchange securities breach but has been quietly getting on with building fuel cell trucks both int he USA and here in Australia
“Putting these zero-emission trucks on the road marks an important step toward decarbonization goals shared by PFG, Hyzon and the state of California,” said Parker Meeks, CEO of Hyzon.
“Our fuel cell technology will help Vistar’s heavy-duty trucking operations operate emission free and with reduced noise pollution,” said Meeks.
“We are deeply grateful for our partnership with PFG, as it helps to further our collective goals to reduce carbon emissions from heavy-duty trucking,” he added.
“The deployment of these vehicles is a major milestone for Hyzon’s industry leading technology, and through this partnership we expect to gain valuable insight through real-world operations. Further, we expect that this intelligence will help us to optimize our technology, while working simultaneously to develop the next-generation 200kW fuel cell system,” Meeks added.
Hyzon says its hydrogen FCEVs have an expected travel range of up to 600km and an expected refueling time of fifteen minutes with fast fill dispensing hydrogen pumps. Performance Food Group plans to use the FCEV trucks in its fleet to deliver snacks, candy, and beverages to its customers around California.The delivery comes six months after Hyzon and PFG initially announced their fuel cell electric vehicle agreement.
Hyzon is one of the first companies to deliver a heavy-duty fuel cell electric prime mover.
“Food distribution is an essential service and critical to the companies and communities we serve. As we look towards the future, it’s important for us to work towards sustainability goals and improve our transportation infrastructure,” said Jeff Williamson, senior vice president, operations, at PFG.
“At PFG, we remain dedicated to reducing our environmental footprint and serving the Southern California region responsibly. We’re excited to have partners like Hyzon as we continue to demonstrate our commitment to being a good neighbor to every community we serve,” he said.
Zero-emission, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles offer similar benefits and convenience as diesel fuel trucks without the harmful emissions that worsen air quality and have negative environmental impacts.
Additionally, FCEVs have numerous advantages over battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in terms of payload, range, and refueling time. FCEVs are expected to be around 2.7 to 3.5 tonnes lighter than BEVs, have a longer range, and can be refuelled in as little as 15-20 minutes compared to up to three hours for BEV.
These factors make FCEVs a natural choice for distribution and heavy-duty freight companies.PFG and Hyzon announced Last August, that they had successfully completed a trial of Hyzon’s Liquid Hydrogen FCEV in Texas, where the truck showed its ability to deliver commercial loads on a 16-hour continuous route covering more than 870km and including temperatures above 39 deg C.
With the delivery of these vehicles and subject to a successful trial with Hyzon’s next generation 200kW FCEV as previously announced, Hyzon and PFG say they intend to work together on an agreement for 15 200kW FCEVs and an option for an additional 30 FCEVs.
