ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: HYDROGEN oemoffhighway.com/21533189
DAIMLER AG
Daimler has begun rigorous testing of its hydrogen truck, the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck.
HYDROGEN IS HERE FOR THE LONG HAUL
Continued development of hydrogen and fuel cell technology will aid decarbonization of heavy vehicles and equipment. by Sara Jensen
R
esearch and development into the use of hydrogen and fuel cells for various applications continues to grow. While there is currently a lot of work occurring in the on-highway sector— particularly as hydrogen is seen as a better alternative for long-haul applications—there are also development efforts taking place in the off-highway industry. In July 2020, JCB announced it developed a hydrogen powered excavator. The 20-tonne 220X excavator prototype is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and has been undergoing testing at
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OEM Off-Highway | AUGUST 2021
the company’s quarry proving grounds. “JCB will continue to develop and refine this technology with advanced testing of our prototype machine, and we will continue to be at the forefront of technologies designed to build a zero-carbon future,” says Lord Bamford, JCB Chairman, in the company’s press release about the prototype machine. Construction equipment manufacturer SANY announced in March 2021 that two hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles had rolled off its production line, a dump truck and a mixer truck. The company said the main benefits for using hydrogen is
the lack of emissions produced— heat and water vapor are the only emissions from hydrogen. Additional benefits SANY says these new vehicles provide include increased power due to the high-power fuel cell stacks utilized in conjunction with a large torque drive motor and AMT gearbox. Longer driving distances are possible, as well, using hydrogen cylinders with a combined capacity of 1,680 L (443.8 gal.) which ensure a driving range over 500 km (310.7 mi.). Cummins Inc. is also working to advance hydrogen and fuel cell technology. In November, the company held
