A hydrogen-powered heavy-duty truck recently set a world record by traveling a remarkable 1,806 miles on a single fill.
Clean energy brand Accelera announced the mind-blowing achievement of their H2Rescue prototype, a hydrogen fuel-cell electric truck designed for emergency response. Best of all, the truck remarkably contributed no air pollution during its marathon journey.
Lest you think they weren't serious about the world-record aspect, a Guinness Book of World Records adjudicator was present throughout.
The 33,000-pound H2Rescue was powered by a 250-kilowatt traction motor that consumed 168 kilograms of the 175 kilograms of hydrogen brought on board. It took off in Central California and navigated rush-hour traffic on public roads while cruising at a speed of 50-55 mph.
The voyage represents a great proof of concept for fuel-cell vehicles as an alternative to diesel-powered vehicles. Accelera teamed with the Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Defense for the project.
"This world record is a triumph for interagency collaboration and proof that hydrogen is a viable alternative fuel for vehicles," said Nicholas Josefik, Industrial Engineer at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center.
"By using hydrogen, we can improve our Nation's energy security and reliability," Josefik added.
An impressive statistic from the feat was that a comparable diesel vehicle would have contributed 664 pounds of pollution over the same journey, per Accelera. Annually, the company says using a single fuel-cell truck instead of a diesel one could save over 1,800 gallons of fuel and cut carbon pollution by an estimated 2.5 million tons.
Hydrogen-powered vehicles with fuel-cell technology, like the H2Rescue, offer tantalizing possibilities. The vehicles release water and steam instead of the planet-heating pollution of diesel and gas-powered vehicles.
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When compared to battery-powered EVs, hydrogen vehicles could charge quicker and possess astonishing range.
That being said, there are roadblocks. One is a current lack of charging infrastructure compared to EVs. Another potential pitfall that researchers are looking to solve is the degradation of fuel-cell tech.
Another concern is the currently fossil-fuel-dependent hydrogen production process that includes dirty energy like methane. Fortunately, experts around the world are working on producing "green hydrogen" that could create a hydrogen economy.
As it stands, Accelera touted the results as proof that fuel-cell engines of its kind can provide a quieter, pollution-free foundation for a range of applications such as heavy-duty trucks, buses, and rail systems.
Specific to the H2Rescue, they say it can offer major benefits to disaster-relief sites by powering Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) trailers or even homes. It's not yet clear where Accelera and the team that collaborated on the project will go next, but it's clear the results provide a strong platform.
"We look forward to transitioning lessons learned throughout this project to future fuel-cell systems and joint efforts," said Eric Wasiloff, Project Manager with the U.S. Army's Ground Vehicle Systems Center.
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