The first fuel-cell truck in the port of Los Angeles is expected to be operational in the coming month.
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Toyota's truck, whose electric motors are fueled by a fuel
cell, is to transport goods in the port area of Los Angeles
quietly and without pollutants. Photo by Dewhurst Photography / Toyota Motor North
America
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Toyota is serious: In the port area of Los Angeles, the first
fuel-cell truck is to transport goods from summer onwards - silently
and without pollutants. The world's largest automotive manufacturer has been driving
innovations for decades. In 1997, Toyota had made the hybrid drive in the car salon-capable
with the Prius. Since 2014, the Mirai model has been the world's first fuel cell car
to be produced in large series. Now follows the still nameless hydrogen-based Brummi.The trial will take place under the name "Project Portal" in
collaboration with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the
Energy Authority California Energy Commission (CEC).
The basis is the US truck manufacturer Paccar, the model is a
Kenworth. The fuel cell truck develops around 500 kW and a maximum torque of
almost 1800 Nm. This is made possible by two fuel cell stacks, which are already
being used in the Mirai (fuel consumption: hydrogen combined 0.76 kg /
100 km), as well as a 12 kWh, relatively small battery. The acceleration capability of the concept car, which weighs up to 36
t, is clearly above its combustion engine-driven counterparts,
according to the manufacturer. The range reaches Toyota with more than 320 km per tank filling, as
emissions only in the driving drift steam.
"The deployment will start immediately when the construction of the
hydrogen station in the port of Los Angeles is completed. The vehicle has actually been ready for a long time, "says Uwe
Breuer, press technician at Toyota. The port has been suffering from smog since the 1960s. The truck complies with the US truck specification "Class 8" for
heavy trucks with three or more axles. In the future, its drive system is to enable virtually silent and
harmless freight and freight traffic without compromising everyday
convenience. The system is designed for ranges of 200 km, so that the truck has to
be refueled only once a day and reserves for unforeseen journeys
remain.
"Hydrogen-based fuel cell technology has enormous potential to become
the driving force of the future," said Bob Carter, executive vice
president of Toyota Motor North America. According to hydrogen-fueled passenger cars and buses produced by
Toyota, the Group is now entering the heavy commercial vehicle
segment. "With the use of this emission-free fuel cell truck concept, Toyota
is a sign that many people hope to follow," explains Mary D. Nichols,
the agency's director, who would also like to encourage other truck
manufacturers to invest in this technology. In addition to "Project Portal", Toyota is also trying to pave the
way for other areas of the fuel cell. The company is successively expanding the hydrogen storage grid
network in California and has entered into a partnership with
Shell.
Toyota is not the only manufacturer to produce heavy trucks with
hydrogen-based propulsion. In addition to Esoro (hydrogen truck based on a MAN TGS 18.320), the
new manufacturer Nikola had to be upset at the end of
2016. The Nikola One is to bring it to a power of 735 kW and powered by six
radically electric motors (320 kWh traction battery). It should accelerate to 100 km / h in 30 s and have a braking
distance that is half as long as the standard truck.
When the Nikola One can be delivered is not yet known. But it is well known that Nikola initially only wants to supply the
markets in North America with the fuel cell model. In the models for other world markets, a gas-fueled gas turbine
behind the driver's cab is to serve as a generator.
Article is taken from: VDI
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