Symbio‘s H2 Central Valley Express demonstrator truck will be presented for the first time as a static display at ACT EXPO 2024.
The Hydrogen-Powered Class-8 Fuel Cell Truck Is a Testament to Symbio’s Technology Leadership
Two years after announcing the “H2 Central Valley Express” project, Symbio unveils a hydrogen-fueled, regional-haul Class-8 truck developed and integrated by Symbio in California and outfitted with next-generation EV-specific tyres that offer improved fuel economy and reduced wear from Michelin.
The Symbio “H2 Central Valley Express” project aims to develop and demonstrate a hydrogen fuel cell truck that matches the performance of a 15-liter diesel truck providing a zero-emission solution for demanding regional-haul trucking operations.
Symbio has designed, developed, and integrated a heavy-duty long-haul truck-ready fuel cell powertrain, powered by Symbio’s fuel cell technology, into a Freightliner Cascadia class-8 tractor. The diesel engine has been replaced with Symbio’s 400 kW StackPack fuel cell system consisting of four packaged sub-systems of Symbio’s proprietary stack technology proven in the field with more than 5 million miles (8 million km) on-road experience.
The heavy-duty 400kW power system’s control strategy is optimized to deliver superior energy balance and power, meeting the functional requirements of the diesel truck. With a 70kg hydrogen tank onboard, the fuel cell truck is capable of over 450 miles per fueling event.
Michelin (co-shareholder of Symbio) provides next-generation low-rolling resistance tyres that combine safety, longevity, and improved fuel efficiency, thus enhancing the total cost of ownership of the vehicle. The aim of this demonstration is to test the low-rolling-resistance tyres on a zero-emission truck.
These tyres are designed to handle higher torque loads under acceleration, which are different from those of internal combustion engine trucks. It is expected that the data collected will help determine the improvements needed to develop a tyre applicable to the needs of hydrogen trucks.
Hydrogen is perfectly suited to decarbonize heavy-duty mobility, bringing distinctive advantages including long range, higher payload, fast refuelling, and a reduced total cost of ownership. It is particularly attractive for highly utilized commercial vehicles which need a longer driving range and faster refueling time to maximize uptime.
“We are thrilled to present the cutting-edge, innovative Symbio’s 400 kW heavy-duty fuel cell stack that enables a significant engine weight reduction without compromising on performance. This hydrogen-powered class-8 fuel cell truck is testimonial of Symbio’s fuel cell technology leadership and system integration know-how,” Rob Del Core, General Manager of Symbio North America, said in an official statement.
“This fuel cell truck development and demonstration constitute a major strategic step forward for Symbio in the United States, as we are developing and solidifying our US sales and manufacturing footprint,” he added.
Meanwhile, Alexis Garcin, President and CEO of Michelin North America highlighted the importance of hydrogen in Michelin‘s all-sustainable approach. “Hydrogen plays a key role in Michelin’s all-sustainable approach and Symbio brings us with this announcement one step closer to becoming a world leader in hydrogen systems for mobility. Equipped with Michelin low-rolling-resistance tyres and with the Symbio Hydrogen fuel cells, this breakthrough will accelerate the transition to greener long haul transportation with extended range and fast charging time,” he said.
This initiative was lauded by the California Energy Commission, with its commissioner, Patty Monahan, saying that replacing diesel with fuel cell trucks reduces harmful air pollution in communities. “And [it] is another step forward to a zero-emission transportation goods movement system,” she stated.
Project partners include GTI Energy, a leading technology development organization creating impactful solutions that shape energy transitions, which leads the grant administration and program management, provides technical insight and performs data collection and analysis.
Other partners include Total Transportation Services (TTSI), the fleet operator, who will demonstrate the truck in revenue service, and Frontier Energy, who will conduct community outreach. Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) and Utilization Technology Development (UTD), a global collaboration of leading gas utilities, provide funding support.
Expected to hit the road by the end of 2024, the truck will run for 12 months on a challenging 400-mile (650 km) route between the Inland Empire and Northern San Joaquin Valley. The demonstration route consists of four distinct and challenging operating sections (120-mile L.A. Urban, Grapevine climb, Grapevine descent and 235-mile Central Valley high-speed).
The vehicle will be storing 66.8kg of 700-bar hydrogen onboard with 2 intra-route fueling events in Central Valley. This hydrogen truck project strives to support California’s goal to achieve economy-wide carbon neutrality by 2045. The H2 Central Valley Express demonstrator truck will be presented for the first time as a static display at ACT EXPO 2024.
