Periodic Reporting for period 4 - H2Haul (Hydrogen fuel cell trucks for heavy-duty, zero emission logistics)
Reporting period: 2022-08-01 to 2024-01-31
H2Haul brings together two major European truck OEMs (IVECO and VDL) and three fuel cell stack suppliers (Plastic Omnium, Bosch and Powercell) to develop and demonstrate fleets of heavy duty (44t) trucks in day-to-day commercial operations in four sites across four countries. The consortium includes hydrogen infrastructure providers (Air Liquide, TotalEnergies, Colruyt group and H2Energy) who will put in place refuelling facilities and reliable hydrogen supplies at each of the demonstration sites. The vehicles will be integrated into the fleets of several high-profile retailers with a strong interest and commitment to adopting fuel cell HGVs (Carrefour among other end users in the South of France), Colruyt (Belgium), G. Leclerc (Switzerland), and used in logistics operations (by DHL for BMW in Germany and by Air Liquide (France). The Air Liquide truck will be used as part of the company’s existing hydrogen logistics operation and thus represents an important step forward for this sector: fuel for zero emission mobility being delivered by a zero tailpipe emission vehicle. The development and homologation of these trucks provide an excellent foundation for wider roll-out beyond the project by maximising the potential customer base and achieving synergies in terms of component design, integration, and vehicle engineering.
The overall objective of H2Haul is to prove that hydrogen trucks can be a practical zero emission and zero carbon solution for much of Europe’s trucking needs and in so doing pave the way for commercialisation of fuel cell trucks in Europe. This overall objective leads to a series of sub-objectives:
• Develop long-haul heavy-duty (44t) fuel cell trucks that meet customers’ requirements in a range of operating environments
• Homologate three fuel cell truck types to certify that they are safe to use on Europe’s roads
• Install hydrogen refuelling infrastructure at each of the demonstration sites and put in place arrangements for high reliability hydrogen supplies that maximise environmental benefits
• Drive the fuel cell trucks for over one million kilometres during normal commercial operations, proving the viability of the technology
• Demonstrate high reliability of fuel cell heavy-duty trucks compatible with mainstream trucking operations under normal operating conditions
• Monitor the performance of the vehicles and infrastructure throughout the operational phase to provide definitive evidence, validated by third parties, on the availability, efficiency, and environmental benefits of fuel cell trucks
• Develop the business case for further roll-out of heavy-duty fuel cell trucks
• Prepare the European market for further roll-out of fuel cell trucks through (i) the development of innovative commercial models and (ii) disseminating information from the project to a wide audience of relevant stakeholders
The overall objective of H2Haul is to prove that hydrogen trucks can be a practical zero emission and zero carbon solution for much of Europe’s trucking needs and in so doing pave the way for commercialisation of fuel cell trucks in Europe. This overall objective leads to a series of sub-objectives:
• Develop long-haul heavy-duty (44t) fuel cell trucks that meet customers’ requirements in a range of operating environments
• Homologate three fuel cell truck types to certify that they are safe to use on Europe’s roads
• Install hydrogen refuelling infrastructure at each of the demonstration sites and put in place arrangements for high reliability hydrogen supplies that maximise environmental benefits
• Drive the fuel cell trucks for over one million kilometres during normal commercial operations, proving the viability of the technology
• Demonstrate high reliability of fuel cell heavy-duty trucks compatible with mainstream trucking operations under normal operating conditions
• Monitor the performance of the vehicles and infrastructure throughout the operational phase to provide definitive evidence, validated by third parties, on the availability, efficiency, and environmental benefits of fuel cell trucks
• Develop the business case for further roll-out of heavy-duty fuel cell trucks
• Prepare the European market for further roll-out of fuel cell trucks through (i) the development of innovative commercial models and (ii) disseminating information from the project to a wide audience of relevant stakeholders
Key progress during the 4th period of the project includes:
• After obtaining the necessary permits and completing the rework and testing phases, VDL’s FRETT truck (tractor trailer truck from Interreg project Hydrogen Region 2.0) was delivered to Colruyt in June 2023. The truck has been used by Colruyt, intermittently due to some HRS unavailability, for intralogistics use. Data is being collected for the truck and is being shared with the data collection partner Sphera for analysis in upcoming Quarterly Performance Assessment Reports.
• Working closely alongside FCM partners, the truck OEMs have continued to progress in the final build and testing, phases of the truck development. Iveco and VDL are both finalising their trucks’ assembly and are entering the testing and commissioning phase. Homologation and registration of the trucks will then follow in 2024. The Iveco H2Haul trucks and the VDL FT1 and FT2 trucks (new tractor trucks) are expected to be delivered in 2024.
• All three H2Haul-funded HRSs are now operational, with the latest HRS (Fos-sur-Mer) starting operation in June 2023. The Colruyt Ollignies HRS has been operational and occasionally refuelling the FRETT truck, while the Air Liquide station has conducted refuelling testing with a BMW iX5 Hydrogen passenger car. The Rothenburg HRS has been operational since early 2021 and has continued to achieve high rates of availability over the latest reporting period.
• Communication and dissemination activities continued throughout Reporting Period 4, with the project progress disseminated at events, in press releases, articles, and social media posts. Press releases were released for key project milestones, such as the inclusion of TotalEnergies in the project as a non-funded entity and the inauguration of the Colruyt and Air Liquide HRSs. Events included the inauguration of the Colruyt and Air Liquide HRSs, and participations at the European Hydrogen Week 2022 and 2023, The 3rd Observer Group meeting was also held on 11 April 2023.
• ERM submitted one amendment during Reporting Period 4. Amendment 3 included the addition of TotalEnergies in the H2Haul project as a non-funded partner and administrative project changes.
• After obtaining the necessary permits and completing the rework and testing phases, VDL’s FRETT truck (tractor trailer truck from Interreg project Hydrogen Region 2.0) was delivered to Colruyt in June 2023. The truck has been used by Colruyt, intermittently due to some HRS unavailability, for intralogistics use. Data is being collected for the truck and is being shared with the data collection partner Sphera for analysis in upcoming Quarterly Performance Assessment Reports.
• Working closely alongside FCM partners, the truck OEMs have continued to progress in the final build and testing, phases of the truck development. Iveco and VDL are both finalising their trucks’ assembly and are entering the testing and commissioning phase. Homologation and registration of the trucks will then follow in 2024. The Iveco H2Haul trucks and the VDL FT1 and FT2 trucks (new tractor trucks) are expected to be delivered in 2024.
• All three H2Haul-funded HRSs are now operational, with the latest HRS (Fos-sur-Mer) starting operation in June 2023. The Colruyt Ollignies HRS has been operational and occasionally refuelling the FRETT truck, while the Air Liquide station has conducted refuelling testing with a BMW iX5 Hydrogen passenger car. The Rothenburg HRS has been operational since early 2021 and has continued to achieve high rates of availability over the latest reporting period.
• Communication and dissemination activities continued throughout Reporting Period 4, with the project progress disseminated at events, in press releases, articles, and social media posts. Press releases were released for key project milestones, such as the inclusion of TotalEnergies in the project as a non-funded entity and the inauguration of the Colruyt and Air Liquide HRSs. Events included the inauguration of the Colruyt and Air Liquide HRSs, and participations at the European Hydrogen Week 2022 and 2023, The 3rd Observer Group meeting was also held on 11 April 2023.
• ERM submitted one amendment during Reporting Period 4. Amendment 3 included the addition of TotalEnergies in the H2Haul project as a non-funded partner and administrative project changes.
All targets are on track. See technical report Part B for further details.