Are Hydrogen Engines in Your Future?

News: Global

2023-01-22

Are Hydrogen Engines in Your Future?

Guy Youngs
Guy Youngs

According to newly published research by Interact Analysis, hydrogen internal combustion engines (H2 ICE) are forecast to be sold in 220,000 vehicles in 2035.

On the plus side, H2 ICE vehicles have some notable advantages. The engine technology is reasonably similar to diesel engines, enabling use of existing knowledge, design and production vehicles. The vehicles can deliver high power, work with impure fuel, work in dirty and dusty conditions and refuel quickly.

On the downside, there is no hydrogen infrastructure in place in almost all locations in the world, there is a lack of awareness about the technology and limited development so far. Most importantly, the current cost of hydrogen fuel is high – it will need a big reduction before the vehicles can become competitive. Even at half the cost of today, H2 ICE vehicles do not have a good total cost of ownership. The cost of the engine is not substantial, but the cost of the tanks adds a lot to the cost of the vehicle, then there is infrastructure and above all hydrogen fuel.

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JCB Reaches Hydrogen Milestone

JCB’S £100 million investment in a project to produce super-efficient hydrogen engines is going full steam ahead. A team of 100 engineers has been working on the exciting development for more than a year and the 50th JCB hydrogen combustion engine has now come off the production line as part of the development process.

JCB’s hydrogen-fueled backhoe loader is one of three hydrogen vehicles the OEM is developing. JCB hydrogen engines are powering prototype backhoe loaders and Loadall telescopic handlers and the company has recently unveiled its very own designed and built mobile refueling bowser to take fuel to the machines. The bowser has enough hydrogen to fill 16 hydrogen backhoe loaders and can be transported either on the back of a modified Fastrac tractor or on a trailer.

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Hyster Begins Pilot of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Container Handler

Hyster Company is testing a top-pick container handler powered by hydrogen fuel cells (HFC) at Fenix Marine Services in the Port of Los Angeles.

Based on the  standard Hyster H1050-1150XD-CH top-pick container handler design, the truck is powered by two 45kw hydrogen fuel cells from Nuvera, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyster parent company Hyster-Yale Group. The HFC-powered top pick is designed to provide the zero emissions benefits of a battery electric option, with enough capacity to keep operators moving and avoid the need to stop in the middle of a shift to refuel or recharge.

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2022-12-14

Alternative Power Report, December 2022

AlternativePower Report_December2022Download

Read the expanded December 20222 Alternative Power Report produced by PSR’s Guy Youngs and other analysts at Power Systems Research. This month’s report includes articles on increased battery production in the US., Tesla’s plans for a recycling plant in Texas, increased merger activity in the EV Light/Medium commercial vehicle segment and new power sources being developed for cargo ships.

Acquisitions in Light/Medium EV Segment

NORTH AMERICA REPORT
Chris Fisher
Chris Fisher

2022 has been an interesting year on many commercial vehicle fronts including the medium and light electric commercial truck and van segment.  While large established OEMs such as Ford, who is expected to produce approximately 6,500 E-Transits at the Kansas City plant in 2022, there has been some shakeup within the electric commercial vehicle start-ups. 

During the past six months, Mullen Automotive, based in Brea, CA, has acquired the assets of the now bankrupt Electric Last Mile (ELMS) company and has acquired 60% of Bollinger Motors, which has yet to start vehicle production.

In September 2022, Mullen Automotive invested $148 million into Bollinger Motors, giving Mullen a 60% share of the company.  Bollinger plans on introducing their electric class 3 – 6 lineup of cargo vehicles starting in 2023 and it is likely that Bollinger will also manufacture the Mullen electric light commercial vans also starting production in 2023.

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Container Ships Could Look Like this by 2050

Here’s What Container Ships Could Look Like by 2050

With pressure from regulators to decarbonize international shipping, companies big and small are racing to identify green alternatives to the gas-guzzling container ships that account for an estimated 3% of global greenhouse emissions.

Many of the ideas floating around today leverage some form of high-tech sail, a futuristic take on the wind-powered voyages that have transported goods for as long as global trade has existed.

Many factors need to be considered when designing a wind-powered cargo ship, including safety, functionality, crew comfort, and most importantly, speed.

Source: MSM: Read The Article

PSR Analysis:  Marine transport is a significant contributor to global carbon emissions (see article “EV shipping is set to blow internal combustion engines out of the water” in the September issue of PowerTALK), so any movement to reduce the emissions is positive, and if it happens to reduce the fuel costs for marine transportation at the same time, there is a substantial saving to be made. A real win-win situation. Further information about these can also be found here.   PSR

Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research

Are There Enough Materials To Produce Needed EVs?

The transition from ICE to electric vehicles (EVs) is necessary to decrease climate-changing emissions. As deployment increases, so will the demand for EV battery materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel. These materials are primarily supplied through two sources: 1) newly mined or 2) recovered by recycling batteries.

Research shows there are enough explored or prospective reserves to electrify the global transportation sector using current technology if a high amount of battery recycling occurs. In this scenario, global demand for EVs in 2100 will amount to about 55% of cobalt reserves and 50% of lithium reserves. If recycling doesn’t ramp up, a shortage of lithium, nickel, or cobalt is likely, and it is estimated that demand would exceed what is economically accessible to extract.

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2022-11-16

JCB Unveils Mobile Hydrogen Refueler

Guy Youngs
Guy Youngs

JCB has unveiled a mobile hydrogen refueler which it says will allow on-site refueling of hydrogen powered machines in the same way that fuel bowsers are used for diesel powered equipment.

The mobile hydrogen refueller is designed to provide an easy way to refuel machines, the vast majority of which have fuel delivered to them while working on site, said the company. JCB said customers are already used to a transportable fuel system.

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Hydrogen Truck To Help Decarbonize Mining Industry

A new hydrogen fuel truck is being tested by the mining industry in hopes of helping to decarbonize activities that have been exceptionally challenging to mitigate. The mining industry contributes 7% of the world’s total carbon emissions per year, (according to McKinsey). This represents more than twice the carbon emissions from the global shipping industry, for example.

The hydrogen-powered vehicle is meant to replace typical mining haul vehicles, which pollute heavily.

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