FREMONT, CA: In the face of the growing climate crisis, decarbonizing our global transportation systems has never been more urgent. Fossil fuel consumption contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions in transportation. Industries need sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives to traditional combustion engine vehicles. The prevailing solution, advocated by technical experts and environmentally conscious individuals alike, has been to electrify everything, transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) powered by clean electricity.
Thanks to recent technological advances, consumers now have access to and afford electric vehicles. They offer numerous benefits, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions, lower operating costs, and quieter, smoother rides. As a result, electric cars have gained widespread popularity for daily commuting and short-range travel. Some specific challenges and requirements make pure electrification less practical in the long-haul trucking industry.
While electric batteries are well-suited for certain aspects of trucking, such as medium-haul routes, they face limitations when it comes to long-haul transportation. These limitations include the need for frequent recharging stops, longer refueling times, and reduced cargo capacity due to the large and heavy battery packs required to achieve extended ranges. Long-haul trucking demands efficiency, reliability, and minimal downtime, making these limitations less than ideal for this sector.
For long-haul routes, a technology better suited to the task is hydrogen fuel cell technology. Trucks powered by fuel cells use the same basic electric drivetrain as battery trucks, with the added benefit of hydrogen storage on board. This on-board hydrogen storage provides several key benefits that make hydrogen fuel cell trucks a more compelling option for long-haul trucking.
First and foremost, time is of the essence in the trucking industry. Time-sensitive deliveries and strict schedules are the norm. Hydrogen fuel cell trucks offer a significant advantage in terms of time efficiency. Cross-country drive times can be reduced by up to 35% due to decreased dwell time (the time spent at rest stops) and the reduced number of stops required for refueling compared to charging an electric battery. This time-saving aspect makes hydrogen fuel cell trucks more appealing for businesses moving goods efficiently across the country.
Cargo capacity is another critical factor in long-haul trucking. Hydrogen fuel cell-powered trucks also hold the edge in this regard. While the smaller battery used in the hydrogen fuel cell configuration may add some weight, the cargo capacity remains comparable to current diesel fleets. In the worst-case scenario, hydrogen fuel cell trucks might lose approximately 1,000 pounds of cargo capacity, a trade-off that most businesses can accept in exchange for reduced emissions and enhanced efficiency.
The advantages of hydrogen fuel cell technology go beyond individual truck performance and cost. Infrastructure considerations come into play with the need for hydrogen storage tanks, compressors, and fueling stations. It is important to note that while these infrastructure requirements are substantial, they are merely estimates of what it will take for all diesel trucks to be replaced by hydrogen fuel cell or battery electric vehicles by the middle of the century.
