Air Products and Cummins signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to work together to accelerate the integration of hydrogen fuel cell trucks in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Cummins will provide hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrains integrated into selected OEM partners’ heavy-duty trucks for Air Products, as Air Products begins... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Company will deploy the company’s latest hydrogen fuel cell electric heavy-duty trucks in California in two publicly funded projects to improve the air quality in the region. The demo trucks that Hyundai will bring into the United States are developed based on XCIENT Fuel Cell, the world’s first... Read more →

Hyzon Motors Inc., a global supplier of hydrogen fuel-cell-powered commercial vehicles, has developed new onboard hydrogen storage system technology that it says is capable of reducing the weight and manufacturing cost of commercial vehicles powered by Hyzon’s hydrogen fuel cells. The new patent-pending onboard hydrogen storage system technology integrates lightweight... Read more →

Rolls-Royce Power Systems has outlined its road map for climate neutrality: Net Zero@Power Systems. By 2030, the Rolls-Royce business unit is to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 35% compared to its 2019 level through the use of new net zero and zero carbon technologies. This near-term target plays a significant... Read more →

XL Fleet Corp. announced a battery and power electronics development and supply agreement and an investment in eNow, Inc., a provider of solar and battery power systems that enable fully-electric Transport Refrigeration Units (eTRUs) for Class 8 commercial trailers. Under the terms of the agreement, XL Fleet will supply battery... Read more →

Hyzon Motors, a global supplier of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, announced a Memorandum of Understanding to develop and to supply 20 refuse collection vehicles (RCV) together with Superior Pak, an Australian manufacturer of waste-handling equipment. The companies aim to deliver a zero-emissions, high-performance side-lift garbage truck, capable of undertaking the 1500-2000... Read more →

FEV recently entered a long-term agreement with electrified powertrain systems provider Hyliion, to support design, development, integration and production validation of Hyliion’s Electric Range Extender (ERX) for Class 8 tractor-trailer applications. The Hyliion Hypertruck ERX powertrain utilizes a propulsion system combining a renewable natural gas (RNG)-fueled on-board generator paired with... Read more →

Hyzon Motors (earlier post) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with TotalEnergies that reinforces the two companies’ shared commitment to evaluate and develop hydrogen refueling and vehicle supply solutions for long-haul transport to customers across Europe. Hyzon and TotalEnergies aim to make it easier for fleet owners to transition to... Read more →

Brazil-based TUPY, a specialist of casting and machining of highly engineered structural components; Westport Fuel Systems; AVL List GmbH are collaborating to develop a highly efficient hydrogen (H2) internal combustion engine (ICE) for heavy goods transportation. The direct collaboration aims at combining advanced material and casting technologies with the latest... Read more →

Leading commercial vehicle manufacturers Volvo Group, Daimler Truck and the TRATON GROUP have signed a non-binding agreement to install and operate a high-performance public charging network for battery-electric heavy-duty long-haul trucks and coaches across Europe. The joint aim is to initiate and accelerate the build-up of charging infrastructure to enhance... Read more →

Electrify America selected Long Beach and the Wilmington neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles as its second “Green City” investment. The company previously announced this recommendation as part of its broader plan to invest $200 million in California Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure and education programs in the state... Read more →

A consortium of Clean Air Power and Freightliner has secured almost £0.4 million (US$0.55 million) of government funding to develop a biogas and hydrogen dual-fuel solution for the Class 66 locomotive. The technology is one of the 30 winners of the latest round of the First of a Kind (FOAK)... Read more →

Using wind tunnel measurements and computational fluid dynamics simulations, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) engineers have demonstrated that aerodynamically integrated vehicle shapes decrease body-axis drag in a crosswind, creating large negative front pressures that effectively “pull” the vehicle forward against the wind, much like a sailboat. An open-access paper on... Read more →

Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility’s fleet of XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks has collectively exceeded 1 million kilometers of driving in 11 months of service in Switzerland. During that time, the fleet has reduced CO2 emissions by more than an estimated 630 tons, compared to diesel-powered vehicles. Since rolling onto Swiss roads last... Read more →

Volvo Penta has begun production of bespoke electric drivelines for leading fire service vehicle manufacturer Rosenbauer’s pioneering fire truck, named “Revolutionary Technology” (RT). (Earlier post.) We announced our emob partnership with Rosenbauer in 2019, and we have gone from concept to start of production in record time. This is a... Read more →

The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) plans to purchase seven Mack LR Electric refuse models, which will operate in each of the city’s boroughs. DSNY took delivery of its first fully electric refuse vehicle, a Mack LR Electric demonstration model, in September 2020, when it began rigorous real-world... Read more →

Mercedes-Benz Trucks celebrated the world premiere of its battery-electric eActros for heavy-duty short-radius distribution—its first series-produced electric truck. The standard model of the eActros is planned to roll off the production line in Wörth am Rhein (Germany) from autumn 2021. The findings from the "eActros innovation fleet" which started in... Read more →

Cummins Inc. and Rush Enterprises, Inc. signed a Letter of Intent for Cummins to acquire a 50% equity interest in Momentum Fuel Technologies from Rush Enterprises. Momentum Fuel Technologies delivers the industry’s first complete compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel system solution for Class 6-8 vehicles. A division of Rush Enterprises,... Read more →

MAN Truck & Bus and Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) are jointly testing autonomously driving prototype trucks in real-world applications. The practical test drives at the HHLA Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) showed that automation can be integrated efficiently and safely into customers’ actual logistics workflows. German lawmakers recently created... Read more →

BMW i Ventures invested in Kodiak Robotics, Inc., a developer of self-driving long-haul trucking technology. The funds from the BMW i Ventures investment help Kodiak expand its team and fleet, as well as continue to develop its self-driving technology purpose-built for long-haul trucks. Kodiak is led by a team of... Read more →

Smart power electronics company Exro Technologies and Linamar, a tier one supplier, have agreed to develop develop an advanced eAxle for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles utilizing Exro’s Coil Driver technology to improve cost and performance of Linamar’s eAxle product line. (Earlier post.) Coil Driver is a next-generation controller that expands... Read more →

Researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), in collaboration with two electric utilities, recently examined the causes, costs and lead times of distribution system upgrades anticipated for depot charging of short-haul heavy-duty trucks in the United States. The team also developed synthetic depot charging load profiles for heavy-duty trucks... Read more →

Rio Tinto will deploy the world’s first fully autonomous water trucks at its $2.6-billion Gudai-Darri iron ore mine in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. The new vehicles, primarily used for dust suppression on site, will enhance productivity by enabling mine operations to track water consumption digitally and reduce waste. Rio Tinto... Read more →

ClearFlame Engine Technologies, a growing startup dedicated to the development of clean engine technology (earlier post), secured $2.5 million in additional financing from several investors, including the Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas and Illinois Corn Growers Associations. The new funding will help ClearFlame deploy pilot Class 8 trucks with its patented technology.... Read more →

FCC Medio Ambiente and Irizar will start production of the first 10 Irizar ie urban electric trucks to be used for collection of refuse. Production of these 10 units includes 4×2 and 6×2 of two and three-axle versions. The Irizar ie urban truck incorporates in-house technology developed by the Irizar... Read more →

The Port of Los Angeles and its partners rolled out five new hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) and introduced two hydrogen fueling stations. Under the $82.5-million Shore-to-Store (S2S) project, more than a dozen public and private sector partners have teamed up for a 12-month demonstration of the zero-emissions Class... Read more →

The Connecticut General Assembly has passed HB 6688, a bill that imposes a highway use tax (HUT) on every carrier for operating, or causing to be operated, certain heavy, multi-unit motor vehicles (Class 8-13) on any highway (i.e., not just limited-access highways) in the state. The bill now heads to... Read more →

Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL), a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc. (NFI), unveiled its first electric three-axle double deck bus for North America. The Enviro500EV CHARGE is the North American all-electric version of the world’s best-selling double deck bus, and is produced by NFI subsidiary Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL). An electric... Read more →

Oshkosh Corporation’s Fire & Emergency segment unveiled the Volterra platform of electric vehicles with the introduction of two new trucks under the Pierce Manufacturing and Oshkosh Airport Products brands. Oshkosh Corporation has been developing electric products and equipment since the mid-1990s when the Company’s JLG Industries business launched its first... Read more →

Gaussin will partner with Microvast for batteries for Gaussin’s next-generation skateboard road truck platform. Gaussin designs and assembles electric (earlier post) and fuel cell vehicles (earlier post) in transport and logistics industry. In April 2021, Gaussin launched a skateboard for class 8 tractor or straight trucks from 18t to 44t,... Read more →

Albertsons Companies, the second-largest grocery chain in the US, recently took delivery of two Volvo VNR Electric trucks at its distribution center in Irvine, California. The VNR Electric models from Volvo Trucks North America are the first zero-tailpipe emission, battery-electric Class 8 trucks to be deployed in Albertsons Cos. company-wide... Read more →

Hyzon Motors, a leading global supplier of hydrogen fuel cell powered commercial vehicles, has developed a new eAxle design which provides extremely high efficiency for 6x4 Class-8 commercial vehicles. Hyzon’s eAxle eliminates right-angle hypoid gears, and uses one motor per wheel with optimized performances both at low speed and high... Read more →

UK-based ULEMCo signed an exclusive MoU with ENGV Pty Ltd to collaborate on developing a market for its hydrogen dual fuel technology in Australia. The scope of the agreement extends across Australia and into commercial vehicles, particularly heavy-duty applications like refuse collection, urban trucks, buses and prime movers. By using... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Company released images of its newly upgraded XCIENT Fuel Cell, the world’s first mass-produced, heavy-duty truck powered by hydrogen. The upgraded heavy-duty XCIENT features design and performance updates. Hyundai will begin production of 2021 XCIENT Fuel Cell in August this year. 2021 XCIENT Fuel Cell is equipped with... Read more →

Hyzon Motors Inc., a global supplier of hydrogen fuel cell-powered heavy vehicles, signed a strategic collaboration agreement with Sojitz Machinery Corporation of America (SMA) to partner in penetrating new markets and exploring the development of new fuel cell-powered commercial mobility applications. This comes ahead of Hyzon’s proposed business combination with... Read more →

Daimler Truck AG and lithium-ion battery manufacturer and developer Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) are intensifying their existing partnership based on their shared vision of CO2-neutral electrified trucking. CATL will be the supplier of lithium-ion battery packs for the Mercedes-Benz eActros LongHaul battery-electric truck, which is planned to be... Read more →

Daimler Truck AG and Shell New Energies NL B.V. are partnering to drive the adoption of hydrogen-based fuel-cell trucks in Europe. The companies plan to support the decarbonization of road freight by building-out hydrogen-refuelling infrastructure and placing fuel-cell trucks in customers’ hands. Shell intends initially to rollout a hydrogen-refueling network... Read more →

Daimler Trucks is focusing on hydrogen-powered fuel-cells for the electrification of its vehicles for flexible and demanding long-haul transport. It aims to achieve ranges of up to 1,000 kilometers and more without any stops for refueling. In late April, the truck manufacturer began to conduct rigorous tests of the first... Read more →

Autocar, LLC, manufacturer of North America’s oldest brand of specialized severe-duty vocational trucks, introduced an all-electric version of its Autocar ACTT terminal tractor, the E-ACTT. The E-ACTT will be available in late 2021. The purpose-built E-ACTT terminal tractor makes a great work truck even better by helping meet regulatory mandates... Read more →

Canada-based Lion Electric Company, a manufacturer of all-electric medium- and heavy-duty urban vehicles, has been selected to participate in the Heritage-Romeo Power Fleet Electrification Program. The Heritage-Romeo Power Fleet Electrification Program is a collaboration between Heritage, a leader in environmental, sustainability and recycling services, and Romeo Power to execute on... Read more →

Robotic Research, LLC, a leading developer of Automated Driving Systems (ADS), and FPInnovations, a Canadian private non-profit research and development center, are collaborating to develop an off-road truck platooning system for the forest industry. This project will combine Robotic Research’s self-driving technology with FPInnovations’ knowledge in forestry and transportation to... Read more →

Power management company Eaton’s eMobility business has been awarded a contract to supply a 24-to-12-volt DC-DC converter for use in a commercial heavy-duty battery electric vehicle (BEV) that will power accessories, such as antilock brakes and lighting. The BEV will be sold in the North American and China markets beginning... Read more →

Canada-based Lion Electric Company, a leading manufacturer of all-electric medium- and heavy-duty urban vehicles, has selected Joliet, Ill., for the construction of its US manufacturing facility. The new facility will represent the largest dedicated production site for all-electric medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in the US and Lion’s biggest footprint in... Read more →

Building upon the success of the Volta Zero—a purpose-built full-electric 16-tonne commercial vehicle designed for inner-city last mile deliveries (earlier post)—Volta Trucks plans to expand its product portfolio with three additional variants within the medium- to lower end of the heavy-duty class. With Volta Zero models available in the 7.5-tonne,... Read more →

United Natural Foods, Inc. is adding 53 all-electric transport refrigerated trailer units (TRUs) to its fleet located at the company’s Riverside, Calif. distribution center. The company is one of the first wholesalers to utilize the technology and comes as the California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced plans in January to... Read more →

Daimler Truck AG and Volvo Group officially outlined their pioneering roadmap for the new fuel-cell joint venture cellcentric, as part of an industry-first commitment to accelerate the use of hydrogen-based fuel cells for long-haul trucks and beyond. With the ambition of becoming a leading global manufacturer of fuel-cell systems, cellcentric... Read more →

The California Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) will open to new voucher requests at 10 a.m. Pacific on 8 June. When HVIP begins accepting new voucher requests, funds will be available in two waves. A total of approximately $165 million will be available, however, only... Read more →

Ricardo has developed a hydrogen-fueled research engine which could offer a renewable, economic and durable technology solution to accelerate zero-carbon emissions in heavy duty trucks, off-highway machines and marine vessels. Ricardo will be testing the prototype at the engine development facility at the University of Brighton—the company’s long-term combustion engine... Read more →

Plus (formerly Plus.ai), a leading company in self-driving truck technology, announced a new initiative with global engine manufacturer Cummins to develop the industry’s first driver-in, supervised autonomous trucks powered by natural gas. The compressed natural gas engines provided by Cummins have been certified to near-zero emissions, reducing smog-forming emissions by... Read more →

Hino Motors Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation, and REE Automotive Ltd. (REE), the developer of a next-generation EV platform, signed a strategic business alliance agreement to realize their shared vision of “providing new value to society through next-generation commercial mobility.” Hino and REE will combine Hino’s knowledge... Read more →