Hauling Industry News

Hydrogen Holds Long-Haul Trucking Promise But Faces Challenges

By Pulltarps Mfg | March 28, 2019
This Kenworth T680 is one of 10 fuel-cell trucks being tested at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. It’s a joint effort with Toyota, UPS and Shell. (Photo: Toyota)

Battery-electric vehicles have gotten most of the attention when it comes to replacing diesel trucks with zero emissions, but there’s a growing consensus that they have limited capability for long-haul freight.

“The equipment we’ve tested has a range of 100 miles, and that just won’t work for trucking,” said Chris Cannon, chief sustainability officer for the Port of Los Angeles, where 10,000-15,000 trucks operate daily.

As freight moves farther from the nation’s largest port complex to the rest of California and the nation, trucks need more range than can be easily provided by battery-powered vehicles.

“Hydrogen offers that,” Cannon said.

Cannon was one of a handful of speakers Thursday at a webinar hosted by the California Hydrogen Business Council. Story by Susan Carpenter / www.trucks.com

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