Elemental Trucks Proposes Hydrogen for Heavy-Duty Trucks
Frédéric Delrieu and Javon Mayhew of Elemental Trucks. Credit: Michel Beaunoyer.
At the Truck World show in Toronto, Canadian company Elemental Trucks presented North America's very first 63.5-tonne hydrogen-powered heavy-duty truck.
This zero-emission vehicle runs on hydrogen fuel cells. With a range of over 800 kilometres, the Class 8 tractor can pull single or double trailers.
While the company's president, Jamie Ally, was wrapping up a presentation on a sustainable mobility panel, Frédéric Delrieu welcomed the Flottes&Mobilité team to the Elemental booth. "The vehicle's power is equivalent to that of PACCAR's 15-litre engine," explains Delrieu, Elemental's Director of Operations. "In addition, the truck can store electricity during regenerative braking, thereby extending its range."
There is a significant amount of Quebec expertise in this heavy truck, as it is adapted from the Peterbilt 567 structure built in Sainte-Thérèse. Its batteries come from Montreal's North Shore, while its fans—crucial for this powertrain assembly that generates a lot of heat—are assembled on the South Shore.
The main obstacle to the development of this clean transport technology is the hydrogen supply. Aside from British Columbia, public charging stations are non-existent. Some private initiatives are moving this solution forward, but primarily for limited-circuit applications.
"Hydrogen remains a very interesting solution for long-distance transport," Delrieu continues. "The recent discovery of natural hydrogen deposits in Canada could very well accelerate its adoption."
