Class 8 Hydrogen Fuel Cell Truck a New Tool for Fighting Emissions

The Clean Truck Program at the Port of Los Angeles (POLA) has improved local air quality by reducing emissions some 80 percent since 2008. This is largely due to replacing thousands of older port trucks with cleaner diesels and some LNG and CNG variants.

However, POLA sees zero emissions trucks as necessary for meeting the transportation and port sector goals of California’s AB 32 greenhouse gas reduction legislation and the Los Angeles GreenLA initiative. POLA is already working with Balqon Corp. to develop all-electric battery yard tractors for port duty. It is also working with Santa Monica-based Vision Motor Corp. to demonstrate what is considered to be the first Class 8 truck to be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell.

Vision Motors’ Tyrano Class 8 tractor uses a Freightliner Classic day cab chassis. Hydrogenics HyPM 16 fuel modules replace the diesel engine and compressed hydrogen is stored in tanks installed along the frame. Electric motors drive each of the rear axles. In this plug-in series hybrid, the fuel cell system keeps the Voltronix lithium-ion batteries located behind the cab charged.

The Tyrano Drive System is rated at 536 peak horsepower with torque electronically limited to 3,300 lbs-ft due to transmission limitations. Because electric motors are used, maximum torque is available over the entire rpm range from zero rpm. The Tyrano has a GVWR of 80,000 pounds.

Series production of the Tyrano is planned for early 2010 in Southern California on a to-order basis. Tyrano sales will initially be limited to Southern California fleets whose trucks can return on a daily basis for hydrogen refueling. Refueling takes 5 to 10 minutes, less time than refueling a typical diesel truck.

Hydrogen storage capacity of 36.3 pounds provides a range of 150 to 200 miles. An optional 72.6 pound storage capacity extends this up to 400 miles. According to Vision Motors, the heavy-duty fuel cell truck is 30 to 40 percent less expensive to operate than current diesel powered trucks, and about 50 percent cheaper than liquefied natural gas.

FedExpress is testing a tractor powered by the Tyrano Drive System for a year to evaluate its operational suitability. Vision is investigating a new technology to add more hydrogen storage, with range potentially extended to 800 or 1,000 miles before the weight for hydrogen storage would become an issue.