E.ON and Nikola forming JV to decarbonize heavy-duty trucking
18 September 2022
E.ON and Nikola Corporation are forming a joint venture with a goal to decarbonize heavy-duty trucking. This partnership is expected to offer customers an integrated mobility solution to promote the use of hydrogen. Both parties have now signed a term sheet to underpin the collaboration and will be negotiating a definitive agreement to finalize the terms.
The joint venture intends to combine next-generation Class 8 semi-truck technology with support solutions (e.g., service and maintenance) and a green and sustainable hydrogen infrastructure.
The vision of the joint venture is to promote the advantages that hydrogen offers at cost parity or better than diesel based on the total cost of ownership. The goal is to make hydrogen available nationwide at stationary and mobile refueling points to ensure unrestricted green mobility.
In heavy-duty transport, the use of green hydrogen, which has a high energy density, offers several advantages. A Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) has the potential to achieve longer range without significantly increasing weight. The Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) is another viable solution for trucks that need shorter distances and have predictable charging times. The coexistence of BEV and FCEV in the commercial vehicle sector is a realistic scenario, the partners said.
The joint venture is expected to be finalized by the end of 2022 and will include the development of initial joint projects.
Here is an article which in my view sets out fairly both the pro and the anti views for fuel cell heavy trucking:
https://www.truckinginfo.com/10152618/h2-zero-emissions-holy-grail
It boils down to two things, in my view.
Battery only proponents reckon that all battery metrics from cost, to charging speed, to durability and weight will improve enough to make fuel cell vehicles unnecessary.
Fuel cell proponents reckon that there is no sign of that, and that in addition in places like Europe at least the very large and swift loads on the grid are too great, and that hydrogen and derivatives are needed to provide power for heavy trucking, as well as ships where batteries are a couple of orders of magnitude too bulky and heavy, and longer distance aviation.
Posted by: Davemart | 18 September 2022 at 01:30 AM