California is joining with seven other states and the District of Columbia in committing to develop an action plan to put hundreds of thousands more zero-emission trucks and buses on their roads and highways. The partners will present a proposed memorandum of understanding to the governors of the states and... Read more →

Ballard Power Systems has signed a product development agreement with Hydrogene de France (HDF Energy), an independent power producer dedicated to renewable power generation, for the development and integration of a multi-megawatt (MW) scale fuel cell system into HDF Energy’s Renewstable power plant designed for stationary power applications. HDF Energy’s... Read more →

ECS, in partnership with the Toyota Research Institute of North America, a division of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., is seeking proposals from young professors and scholars pursuing innovative electrochemical research in green energy technology. Proposals for the 2020-2021 ECS Toyota Young Investigator Fellowship for Projects in... Read more →

ENGIE, a global energy and services company, has selected Plug Power Inc. to provide a custom refueling system for the world’s largest hydrogen-powered mine haul truck (300 metric ton load capacity), which is set to begin operation next year. (Earlier post.) The project has emerged from a global partnership agreement... Read more →

Ballard Power Systems announced a purchase order from Van Hool, a leading bus OEM and Ballard partner headquartered in Belgium, for 20 FCveloCity-HD 85kW fuel cell modules to power buses in Groningen, the Netherlands, under the JIVE2 funding program. Ballard plans to deliver the 20 FCveloCity-HD 85kW modules in 2020.... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Company announced a new roadmap—Strategy 2025—intended to secure its position as a frontrunner in the future mobility industry. Under Strategy 2025, the company will foster Smart Mobility Device and Smart Mobility Service as two core business pillars; the synergy between the two pillars is expected to facilitate the... Read more →

Lab1886, the innovation unit for business models within Mercedes-Benz AG, is now supporting drive and energy system provider Rolls-Royce Power Systems AG in a pilot project in the field of stationary energy supply systems. Over the coming months, Rolls-Royce will develop a holistic concept for future sustainable and independent emergency... Read more →

IVECO, FPT Industrial and Nikola unveiled the maquette of the Nikola TRE battery-electric truck, the first vehicle resulting from the joint venture between CNH Industrial and Nikola, which involves the commercial vehicle brand and the powertrain specialist. (Earlier post.) The battery electric Nikola TRE, which is based on the IVECO... Read more →

Fuel-cell systems are a challenging technology that, much like combustion engines, require sophisticated thermal management and supplies of air and hydrogen. Pierburg GmbH, a subsidiary of Rheinmetall Automotive AG, is applying its accumulated combustion engine expertise in pumps and valves to offer special products for fuel-cell vehicles. In addition to... Read more →

Stadler and San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) have signed the first contract to supply a hydrogen-powered train to run in the United States. SBCTA awarded the contract with an option to order four more vehicles in the future. The FLIRT H2 train is planned for passenger service in 2024.... Read more →

Plug Power Inc., a provider of hydrogen fuel cell systems and fueling solutions enabling e-mobility, announced a new agreement with Spanish hydrogen production and distributor Compañía Logística de Hidrocarburos (CLH). Through the agreement, CLH will develop hydrogen production assets and downstream markets in Spain, in the industrial, mobility and power... Read more →

Anheuser-Busch, in partnership with Nikola Motor Company and BYD Motors LLC, completed its first Zero-Emission Beer Delivery in its hometown of St. Louis. The company delivered beer from the local Anheuser-Busch brewery to the Enterprise Center using only zero-emission trucks. A Nikola hydrogen-electric truck picked up the load of beer,... Read more →

Hyundai Motor’s Hydrogen Mobility Solution has won the second International Truck of the Year (IToY) Truck Innovation Award. Hyundai Motor Company and H2 Energy set up its joint venture (JV), Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility, in April 2019. (Earlier post.) The goal of the cooperation is to expand Europe’s hydrogen mobility ecosystem... Read more →

Recently, DNV GL identified the five most promising alternative fuels for shipping, with hydrogen as the ultimate zero-emission solution. The first complete hydrogen-fueled prospect has now been assembled by Ulstein Design & Solutions BV and Nedstack Fuel Cell Technology BV. The ULSTEIN SX190 Zero Emission DP2 construction support vessel is... Read more →

An international team of researchers has synthesized one-dimensional bunched platinum-nickel (Pt-Ni) alloy nanocages with a Pt-skin structure for the oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells. The nanocages display high mass activity (3.52 amperes per milligram platinum) and specific activity (5.16 milliamperes per square centimeter platinum)—nearly 17 and 14 times higher... Read more →

ExxonMobil and FuelCell Energy, Inc. signed a new, two-year expanded joint-development agreement to further enhance carbonate fuel cell technology for the purpose of capturing carbon dioxide from industrial facilities. The agreement, worth up to $60 million, will focus efforts on optimizing the core technology, overall process integration and large-scale deployment... Read more →

Blue World Technologies has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with China-based new energy vehicle manufacturer AIWAYS, with the purpose of supplying the market with vehicles powered by methanol fuel cells for fast refueling and long range. During the Chinese International Import Expo 2019 (CIIE 2019) in Shanghai, Blue World Technologies... Read more →

Hyundai said it will introduce 13 alternatively fueled vehicles by 2022, including six sedans and seven SUVs. Upcoming highlights from this eco-friendly commitment include a refreshed 2020 Ioniq Electric, Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid to be revealed later this month at the Los Angeles Auto Show. In addition, the all-new Sonata... Read more →

PowerCell Sweden AB has developed a new and improved version of its MS-100 fuel cell system. The new MS-100 is 30% more compact and has improved operating life time as well as robustness for demanding applications on land and at sea. The MS-100 fuel cell system has been developed for... Read more →

PowerCell Sweden AB signed a contract with Norwegian Havyard Group ASA for the development of the design and the technical specifications for a zero-emissions fuel-cell system. The system may come to be installed on board a vessel that will service the shipping company Havila Kystruten’s new route from Bergen to... Read more →

Alstom and the Province of Groningen, local operator Arriva, the Dutch railway infrastructure manager ProRail and the energy company Engie have signed plans for a pilot project to test the Coradia iLint, a passenger train powered by hydrogen fuel cells (earlier post), for the first time in the Netherlands. The... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has put the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) on hold after receiving voucher requests for its entire $142-million budget. More than 100 truck and bus fleets requested funding for vehicles produced by more than 20 manufacturers. CARB, in partnership... Read more →

Cummins Inc. unveiled a heavy-duty truck with fuel cell and battery electric power at the 2019 North American Commercial Vehicle Show in Atlanta. Cummins’ strategy is to provide its customers with a broad portfolio of power options, from diesel and natural gas, hybrids, to battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Company announced key investments into three hydrogen companies—Impact Coatings, H2Pro and GRZ Technologies—to strengthen its leadership position in the global hydrogen fuel cell ecosystem. The collaborations will enable Hyundai to expand its hydrogen infrastructure and enhance the efficiency of its fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) manufacturing. Our investment... Read more →

Daimler Trucks & Buses, one of the world’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturers, aims to offer only new vehicles that are CO2-neutral in driving operation (“tank-to-wheel”) in the triad markets of Europe, Japan and NAFTA by 2039. The Mercedes-Benz eActros heavy-duty electric truck, with a range of up to 200 km,... Read more →

At the Tokyo Motor Show, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC), under the umbrella of Daimler Trucks Asia (DTA), unveiled the “Vision F-CELL”, a concept fuel-cell-powered light-duty truck, and the model year 2019 Super Great heavy-duty truck, Japan’s first series-produced commercial vehicle equipped with SAE(Society of Automotive Engineers) Level... Read more →

Umicore inaugurated its new production facility for fuel cell catalysts in SongDo Incheon City (Seoul area), Korea, close to Umicore’s technology development center for catalysts. The facility will support the growth of Hyundai Motors Group as well as other automotive customers. Umicore expects to ramp up production in 2020 and... Read more →

Groupe Renault is extending the range of its electric light commercial vehicles with hydrogen fuel cells. Renault KANGOO Z.E. Hydrogen will be available at the end of 2019 and Renault MASTER Z.E. Hydrogen in 2020. Tested since 2014, Groupe Renault’s hydrogen technology was developed in partnership with Symbio, a Groupe... Read more →

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed AB 784 into law, thereby exempting zero-emissions transit buses from state sales tax until 2024. For the bill, the category “transit bus” includes: “Articulated bus”—a 54-foot to 60-foot bus with two connected passenger compartments. “Bus”—a rubber-tire vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating greater... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced that the application period for the Volkswagen Mitigation Trust Zero‑Emission Transit, School, and Shuttle Bus program is now open. This solicitation is open to eligible bus owners throughout California, and funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The San Joaquin Valley Air... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) released the first rendering images of its concept for a hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric truck, HDC-6 NEPTUNE. Known for its leadership in fuel cell technology with integrated capabilities for the passenger and commercial vehicle markets, HMC will debut its latest commercial truck concept during this year’s... Read more →

Germany’s BMVI (Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure) awarded €23.5 million to a set of hydrogen mobility projects ranging from forklift trucks to equipping a ride-pooling fleet to the development of a hydrogen bus and a fuel-cell-powered street sweeper. Hydrogen, fuel cells and electricity move the future. We have... Read more →

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Grainger College of Engineering intend to form the Midwest Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Coalition to raise awareness of the potential for hydrogen and fuel cells to provide energy resilience and security, reduce emissions and foster... Read more →

In the US, Toyota announced it will extend its hybrid battery warranty from 8 years / 100,000 miles to 10 years from date of first use/150,000 miles, whichever comes first. This extension is valid for all new model year 2020 Toyota hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fuel cell electric vehicles. All... Read more →

Toyota will preview the next generation of its Mirai fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show. “Mirai Concept,” a final-stage development model of the second-generation Mirai will be on view at “Future Expo” from 24 October until 4 November at Megaweb. The re-designed Mirai features significantly... Read more →

The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is collaborating with the Department of Defense’s (DOD’s) US Army Ground Vehicle Systems Center and the US Army Corps of Engineers to develop and demonstrate ”H2Rescue“—a hydrogen fuel cell-powered emergency relief truck. This collaboration will enable increased... Read more →

Ballard Power Systems receiveda purchase order for 3 of its FCveloCity 100 kW fuel cell modules from Berlin-based BEHALA, a port and logistics specialist, to power the world’s first zero-emission push boat. The boat, to be named Elektra, will be used primarily to transport goods between Berlin and Hamburg as... Read more →

Loop Energy, a provider of fuel cell range extenders for medium- and heavy-duty motive applications, has established a joint venture and non-exclusive license agreement with IN-Power, a leading power electronics supplier to the transport sector in China. Under the terms of the Agreement, the two companies will collaborate to produce... Read more →

Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd. and Toyota Motor Corporation signed a Strategic Cooperation Framework Agreement to deepen their partnership in the fields of electrification and intelligent networking. Chairman of Guangzhou Automobile Group Zeng Qinghong (left) and Toyota President Akio Toyoda (right) Under the agreement, based on the basic concept that... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Company and Cummins Inc. have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) jointly to evaluate opportunities to develop and commercialize electric and fuel cell powertrains. These new powertrains are expected to be developed by combining Hyundai’s fuel cell systems with Cummins’ electric powertrain, battery, and control technologies. The... Read more →

Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility (HHM), the joint venture between Hyundai Motor Company and H2 Energy, is partnering with Hydrospider, a joint venture of H2Energy, Alpiq and Linde to promote green hydrogen ecosystem in Switzerland and European countries in the upcoming future. As part of this effort, HHM and Hydrospider held a... Read more →

California’s transition to zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) will begin to save the state money by as early as 2030, according to a study by researchers at the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis (ITS-Davis). Although the transition will need to be rapid, and near-term costs and... Read more →

Bloom Energy and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), a part of Samsung Group, today are collaborating to design and develop ships powered by Bloom Energy’s solid oxide fuel cell technology. Bloom Energy is the world’s leading provider of stationary fuel cells and SHI is one of the world’s largest shipbuilding companies.... Read more →

The Nikkei reports that the second Hydrogen Energy Ministerial Meeting—a policy platform for global utilization of hydrogen—scheduled to open in Japan on Wednesday will call for 10 million fuel cell vehicles—including trains, planes and automobiles—in 10 years. Currently, only around 10,000 vehicles around the world run on fuel cells. Japanese... Read more →

Films of platinum only two atoms thick supported by graphene could enable fuel cell catalysts with unprecedented catalytic activity and longevity, according to a study published recently by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology, with colleagues from University of Oxford, in the journal Advanced Functional Materials. This graphic shows... Read more →

Loop Energy, a provider of fuel cell electric range extenders for medium- and heavy-duty transport applications, announced a cash investment from Cummins Inc. Cummins has made several recent investments in the electrification powertrain side of their business, including acquisitions of Hydrogenics (earlier post) and Efficient Drivetrains (earlier post). Hydrogen fuel... Read more →

Toyota Motor Corporation has developed a stationary fuel cell generator (FC generator) that makes use of the fuel cell system (FC system) equipped in the Mirai Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV). The FC generator has been installed within the Honsha plant grounds in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, and verification tests... Read more →

To intensify its activities in e-mobility, Finland-based Valmet Automotive is increasingly focusing on the fuel cell. The company now under the lead of its Business Line Engineering has established a Center of Competence Fuel Cell. On the product side, the company has high hopes for an in-house developed flat-membrane humidifier.... Read more →

At the IAA in Frankfurt this year, Germany-based ElringKlinger AG is presenting a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack with exceptional performance characteristics as well as solutions centered around electric drivetrains as well as systems and components from the field of battery technology. The low-temperature fuel cell stack NM12... Read more →

Starting in 2021, public transport company Hamburger Hochbahn AG will be field-testing the new Mercedes-Benz eCitaro articulated bus with a fuel cell as a range extender. Mercedes-Benz will deliver two correspondingly equipped buses during the course of 2021. As announced a year ago at its world premiere, the all-electric and... Read more →