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Isuzu and Honda begin demonstration testing of fuel cell-powered heavy-duty truck on public roads in Japan

Isuzu Motors and Honda Motor began demonstration testing on public roads in Japan of the GIGA FUEL CELL, a fuel cell (FC)-powered heavy-duty truck currently being co-developed by the two companies. (Earlier post.)

Through this demonstration testing, scheduled to run through September 2024, the two companies will continue making progress in collecting data, amassing knowledge and identifying technical issues in preparation for a 2027 market introduction. The prototype model being used for this demonstration testing is the same type as the one exhibited at the Isuzu Group booth at the JAPAN MOBILITY SHOW 2023.

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GIGA FUEL CELL being driven on a closed test course prior to the start of public road testing.


Vehicle

Base vehicle

CYJ77C-WX low deck 8x4 rigid truck

Total length/width/height

11,980mm / 2,490mm / 3,770mm

Total vehicle weight

25t

FC Stack

Type

Solid polymer (Honda FC Stack)

Output

103kW×4

High-pressure hydrogen system

Filling pressure

70MPa

Hydrogen capacity

56kg

Motor

Type

AC synchronous electric motor

Rated output

320kW

High-voltage battery

Type

Lithium-ion battery

Range  

More than 800km/500 miles
(Isuzu validation mode)

Other features

External Power Output Port

2 ports (CHAdeMO connector)
Maximum power supply: 530kWh

Isuzu and Honda believe that fuel cell technology will be effective to achieve carbon neutrality of heavy-duty trucks which are required to achieve high-efficiency transportation (with the capability for long-distance driving, large load capacity, quick refueling).

Since signing of an agreement in January 2020 to conduct joint research on FC-powered heavy-duty trucks, the two companies have been working on the verification of the compatibility of the FC system and heavy-duty trucks and the establishment of a foundation for basic technologies such as vehicle control technologies.

The two companies are planning to introduce the production model to market in 2027 by fully leveraging the technology, experience and knowledge gained through the joint research.

Comments

SJC

We can achieve sustainability in most forms of transportation aircraft is a bit more difficult

sd

I do not understand the Japanese fascination with hydrogen. Battery electric has at least twice the efficiency as hydrogen fuel cells and cost far less. And, the typical travel distances in Japan can not be that far. Where are they going to get their hydrogen anyway. They do not have a surplus of green power. Plus hydrogen is a real pain to work with. You either need really high pressure (70 MPa or 10,000 psi) or really, really cold temperature and it leaks thru everything, cause embrittlement, etc.

yoatmon

@ sd:
Everything you stated and more is true. But exactly that is encouraging for anyone tampering with H2 because preventive and corrective maintenance is preprogrammed and hence ensuring booming business. There are so many feeble-minded individuals that do not recognize how they are being manipulated for the benefits of a few.

Roger Pham

Bio-methane mix with green H2 for used in combustion engine would be a more practical solution right now, because the infrastructures for natural gas filling for trucks already exist, and manufacturing facilities for combustion engines and transmission already exist, thus saving tens of $Billion of investment in new plants to produce fuel cells. The addition of green H2 will enhance combustion and further lower emission to near-zero.

Bio-methane and bio-methanol now cost comparable to gasoline per energy unit, and natural gas buses and trucks are viable commercially. Several countries in the world have significant percentage of light-duty vehicles running on natural gas that can be replaced with bio-methane.

Adding green H2 to biomass during the synthesis of bio-methane and bio-methanol can increase the yields by 50-70%, and that would be a more practical way of utilizing green H2 that can utilize existing natural gas and liquid fuel infrastructures.
Green H2 can further be directly added to the existing natural gas piping system that will have significant percentages of bio-methane as well, thus will greatly lower the fossil-fuel content of these energy sources.
Biomethanol can be added to gasoline to be used in future cars designed to be comparable with higher methanol content in the fuel, thus will greatly assist in lowering fossil fuel CO2 emission.

Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) can utilize grid electricity up to 80% of total mileages, and if these PHEVs are charged from the grid during periods of Renewable Energy (RE) surplus, while running on bio-methanol during periods of RE deficiency, they can essentially utilize RE nearly all the times.

Green H2 can be produced from grid-surplus RE during off-peak grid energy demand, thus will incentivize much more rapid deployment of Renewable Energy capacity. The combination of bio-methane and bio-methane both produced with infusion of green H2 with PHEVs charged from a grid sourced from high percentage of RE can remove nearly all fossil fuel from transportation.

https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1820571#:~:text=A%20comparison%20of%20the%20methanol,baseline%20cost%20of%20%240.39%2Fkg.

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