100 hydrogen fuel-cell trucks deployed in British Columbia
HTEC has unveiled an ambitious plan to deploy 100 hydrogen-powered Fuel Cell Electric Trucks (FCETs) on British Columbia’s roads through their H2 Gateway program.
This initiative is a significant step in decarbonising the commercial transport sector, which currently accounts for 25% of BC’s emissions.
Why hydrogen trucks?
You might ask, why hydrogen and not just electric? Hydrogen trucks offer the best of both worlds – zero emissions and the ability to handle long ranges with fast refuelling times.
Plus, they perform exceptionally well in extreme weather, something particularly valuable in a region like British Columbia.
British Columbia government support behind the project
The BC government has thrown its weight behind this project, investing $10.3million to make these hydrogen trucks a reality.
The plan includes not just the trucks, but also an interprovincial network of up to 20 hydrogen refuelling stations and three new clean hydrogen production facilities. Talk about infrastructure!
The Trucks
A prominent amount of the trucks will be supplied by Nikola Motors, with HTEC recently posting on LinkedIn: “The Nikola Corporation TRE FCEV passed HTEC’s vehicle acceptance test with flying colours and is now officially part of HTEC’s BCH2 Pilot Trucks fleet.”
*edit 23/08/2024: A prominent amount of the trucks will be supplied by Nikola, with the 100 total being made up of trucks from other manufacturers also.
Quote highlights
HTEC’s Vice President of Transportation Solutions, Jeff Grant, expressed the company’s excitement, saying: “We are grateful for the Province’s support to scale-up zero-emissions, hydrogen-powered commercial transportation.
“Building on HTEC’s BC Hydrogen Pilot Trucks Project and the BC Hydrogen Ports Project, the H2 Gateway program will establish the first large-scale, heavy-duty hydrogen-powered fleet of trucks to operate in BC.”
Looking forward
The program doesn’t just stop at trucks – HTEC is also launching a Vehicle Leasing Corporation (VLC) to manage these hydrogen trucks, ensuring fleet operators have everything they need to transition to zero-emission vehicles.
This includes vehicle procurement, maintenance and regulatory compliance.
Why this matters
Hydrogen fuel cells offer a practical and scalable solution to one of the toughest challenges in the fight against climate change.
As more fleets adopt hydrogen-powered trucks, the momentum will only build, leading to broader adoption and innovation.